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Rob Thomas

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Rob Thomas

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Senior Vice President, Software & Chief Commercial Officer, IBM

Rob Thomas is Senior Vice President Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM. He leads IBM’s software business, including product design, product development, and business development. In addition, Rob has global responsibility for IBM revenue and profit, including worldwide sales, strategic partnerships and ecosystem. Rob has held several leadership roles across IBM, most recently as Senior Vice President of IBM Global Markets where he was responsible for IBM’s revenue, profit, business development and client success worldwide and prior to that as Senior Vice President, Cloud and Data Platform in IBM Software. Rob has overseen numerous acquisitions by the firm, representing approximately $7 billion in transaction value. In his over 20 years in IBM, Rob has held roles in IBM Consulting, IBM Microelectronics, and IBM Software, including two years living in Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, Rob joined IBM’s software business, focused on data and analytics. He held a variety of roles, leading IBM’s transition from core databases to delivering broader analytical capabilities, investing in open source, and eventually artificial intelligence. In 2015, John Wiley & Sons published Rob’s first book, titled “Big Data Revolution: What farmers, doctors, and insurance agents can teach us about patterns in big data”. The Financial Times called the book, “interesting as a case study of the philosophical assumptions that underpin the growing obsession with data.” In December 2016, Rob published his second book, “The End of Tech Companies,” educating business leaders on how to navigate digital disruption in every industry. In April 2020, O’Reilly published Rob’s latest book, “The AI Ladder: Accelerate Your Journey to AI.” The book serves as a practical guide for business leaders to discover where they are in their AI journey and learn the steps necessary to successfully scale AI throughout their organization. Today, he writes extensively on his blog robdthomas.com. Born in Florida, Rob studied at Vanderbilt University, earning his BA in Economics. During his MBA from the University of Florida, Rob worked in equity research, learning applied economics, finance, and financial analysis. Rob serves on the board of Domus (Stamford, CT), which assists underprivileged children in Fairfield County. He is an active volunteer at Filling in the Blanks, an organization focused on fighting childhood hunger in local communities. He lives in New Canaan, CT with his wife and three children.

Bio from: Data Universe 2024

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Big Data Revolution

Exploit the power and potential of Big Data to revolutionize business outcomes Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book describes the major trends emerging in the field, the pitfalls and triumphs being experienced, and the many considerations surrounding Big Data, all while guiding readers toward better decision making from the perspective of a data scientist. Companies are generating data faster than ever before, and managing that data has become a major challenge. With the right strategy, Big Data can be a powerful tool for creating effective business solutions – but deep understanding is key when applying it to individual business needs. Big Data Revolution provides the insight executives need to incorporate Big Data into a better business strategy, improving outcomes with innovation and efficient use of technology. Examine the major emerging patterns in Big Data Consider the debate surrounding the ethical use of data Recognize patterns and improve personal and organizational performance Make more informed decisions with quantifiable results In an information society, it is becoming increasingly important to make sense of data in an economically viable way. It can drive new revenue streams and give companies a competitive advantage, providing a way forward for businesses navigating an increasingly complex marketplace. Big Data Revolution provides expert insight on the tool that can revolutionize industries.