Digital Transformation: Leadership in the Internet of Things Era

“Digital Transformation:

Leadership in the Internet of Things Era”

John Gordon
Chief Digital Officer

_______________________________

Wednesday, April 5th, 2017

12:30pm

Mugar 200
The Fletcher School

_______________________________

For more information, contact Dan Popko (daniel.popko@tufts.edu)

BACKGROUND
John Gordon
Chief Digital Officer

John Gordon is passionate about creating new industries and enabling global innovation by incubating digital businesses for the world’s most impactful companies.

As the Chief Digital Officer of Current, powered by GE, John is leading the transformation of the century old lighting infrastructure into a dynamic and open IoT platform that enables entrepreneurial innovation, enterprise productivity and skill development for the next era of computing. Intelligent lighting represents the most pervasive IoT platform in the world and has the ability to impact every industry.

John’s cross-functional team at Current includes engineers, software developers, designers, and product managers, as well as sales, marketing, delivery, partnership and operational leaders who share in this vision to build intelligent solutions for customers across a range of sizes and industries. His team helps enterprises and cities transform their lighting infrastructure into intelligent systems that utilize sensors, software and other digital applications to not only optimize energy use but to also unlock additional business outcomes.

Prior to joining Current, John worked at IBM for 16 years in a variety of entrepreneurial roles. Most recently John incubated the cognitive computing era as the VP and one of the initial members of the IBM Watson Solutions Team leading many of the First-of-a-Kind Watson projects. Previously he helped to start the Smart City industry as IBM’s first dedicated Executive to launch that initiative. Under John’s leadership, that business grew to over 2,400 smarter cities projects globally.

John, who started programming in elementary school, holds a MBA degree from University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.

John, his wife Christine, and three children live outside of Boston. He is an active runner, and a boating enthusiast who has sailed in Portugal and Australia. He is also a musician who has played lead guitar in a blues band, keyboard and harmonica in a rock band, and saxophone in a jazz band.

John Gordon is passionate about creating new industries and enabling global innovation by incubating digital businesses for the world’s most impactful companies. As the Chief Digital Officer of Current, powered by GE, John is leading the transformation of the century old lighting infrastructure into a dynamic and open IoT platform that enables entrepreneurial innovation, enterprise productivity and skill development for the next era of computing. Intelligent lighting represents the most pervasive IoT platform in the world and has the ability to impact every industry. John’s cross-functional team at Current includes engineers, software developers, designers, and product managers, as well as sales, marketing, delivery, partnership and operational leaders who share in this vision to build intelligent solutions for customers across a range of sizes and industries. His team helps enterprises and cities transform their lighting infrastructure into intelligent systems that utilize sensors, software and other digital applications to not only optimize energy use but to also unlock additional business outcomes. Prior to joining Current, John worked at IBM for 16 years in a variety of entrepreneurial roles. Most recently John incubated the cognitive computing era as the VP and one of the initial members of the IBM Watson Solutions Team leading many of the First-of-a-Kind Watson projects. Previously he helped to start the Smart City industry as IBM’s first dedicated Executive to launch that initiative. Under John’s leadership, that business grew to over 2,400 smarter cities projects globally. John, who started programming in elementary school, holds a MBA degree from University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame. John, his wife Christine, and three children live outside of Boston. He is an active runner, and a boating enthusiast who has sailed in Portugal and Australia. He is also a musician who has played lead guitar in a blues band, keyboard and harmonica in a rock band, and saxophone in a jazz band.