Kathryn Guarini, IBM

Kathryn Guarini , CIO of IBM, leads a global team of nearly 12,000 employees responsible for delivering the future of IT to propel IBM’s success and growth.

Prior to being named CIO, Guarini was COO of IBM Research and vice present for Impact Science. She led the IBM Research transformation to increase impact, extend technical eminence, and improve the operational efficiency of the division. Her team at Impact Science applied deep technical expertise to the most pressing global challenges facing society while advancing the underlying science.

Guarini holds more than 65 U.S. patents and is a prolific writer. Her work has appeared in more than 60 technical publications and she is the author of the mother-of-invention.net blog about leadership, science and innovation. She is active in mentoring, inspiring and recruiting scientists and engineers of all ages and advocating for greater diversity in the industry.