Today, as I bid farewell to my incredible journey at IBM, I can’t help but look back at where it all began - inside a strategy class at B-school almost eight years ago. We dissected the core strategies of companies like Apple for design, Amazon for customer service, Nike for branding, and Toyota for lean manufacturing. Yet one name in that exercise left us puzzled: IBM.
After a lot of head scratching, our professor told us IBM’s core strategy wasn’t housed in products or services. It lived in “relationships.” The idea felt abstract at the time, but it turned into the throughline of my career.
Working at IBM gave me firsthand proof of the power of relationships. Nurturing partnerships with clients, collaborating across diverse teams, and building a leadership culture of trust all reinforced how much people fuel innovation, growth, and resilience.
To my IBM family, thank you. I’m grateful to the leaders I learned from and i thank the teams for your unwavering support, and to every individual who made this journey remarkable.
As I look forward to a new role at Applied Materials, a Santa Clara-based leader in semiconductor equipment in the midst of AI-driven growth, I carry with me the lessons those relationships taught me. Applied Materials is anchored in research and innovation, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned, forge new connections, and keep driving strategic success.
Farewell, IBM. Hello, Applied Materials. Here’s to new beginnings and everything ahead.