Mike Rhodin is Senior Vice President, Watson Business Development. Watson is one of IBM’s most significant innovations in the company’s 103-year history and represents a new era of information technology. IBM Watson is charged with accelerating a new class of “cognitive” solutions, services and apps that will fuel a diverse cloud-based ecosystem of enterprises, academic institutions and entrepreneurs.

Mike was previously Senior Vice President, IBM Watson Group. Under Mike’s leadership, Watson moved from a groundbreaking research project in artificial intelligence and machine learning to two thriving business units: Watson and Watson Health.

Before heading up Watson, Mike led the Software Solutions Group delivering industry-specific solutions in high-growth areas such as Business Analytics, Smarter Commerce, Smarter Cities and Social Business.

Throughout his 30 years at IBM, Mike’s career has been infused with a passion for helping clients extract value from their technology investments, improving their business performance, and simplifying the way people work.

Mike has held a number of general management positions across IBM, including the Software business where he led the introduction of IBM’s social business platform, which IDC has deemed #1 for four years in a row. He was also instrumental in helping build IBM’s globally integrated enterprise when he lead IBM Northeast Europe, which included Germany, UK, Switzerland, Austria and the Nordics.

A major champion of technology and IBM’s advancements in the industry, Mike has delivered a number of speeches worldwide, including Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Harvard Law School. He also serves on the Partnership of New York City Board and the University of Michigan Computer Science and Engineering National Advisory Board.

Mike joined IBM in 1984 after he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.