VMware Leaders on Innovation and Challenging the Status Quo

Female engineer giving presentation to colleague while working in creative office

Charting a Path to Tomorrow’s Success HERO

Learn how Audi is building the factory of the future using VMware AI innovation. 

Pioneering the Factory of the Future: Insights from Audi

Home

VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

We spoke to several VMware executives across EMEA about how they foster a collaborative environment and VMware’s unique culture of innovation.

Learn from VMware EMEA executives about how they foster a collaborative environment and VMware’s unique culture of innovation.

VMware leaders talk to the Futurum Tech Webcast about the challenges of multi-cloud that surprise many companies.

Multi-Cloud Challenges: 3 Pitfalls | VMware News & Stories

3 Hard Truths About the Multi-Cloud Journey

If there’s one word that has defined VMware since its founding 25 years ago, it’s innovation. As a startup, we burst onto the scene with groundbreaking virtualization solutions. As a global name, we went on to provide ubiquitous cloud infrastructure and have been leading the way in the multi-cloud era and beyond with the same […]

At RADIO 2023, the Future We Make Is Closer Than Ever - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

At RADIO 2023, the Future We Make Is Closer Than Ever

VMware celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in February this year. Marking the occasion, our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, remarked, “Our 25-year history proves that we can execute anything we set our minds to.” This truth is borne out every day at VMware as we build on our DEI momentum and work towards ensuring inclusion […]

VMware’s 2023 DEI Report: How We’re Building on the Momentum - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

VMware’s 2023 DEI Report: How We’re Building on the Momentum

This month VMware celebrates the 25th anniversary of its founding on Feb. 10, 1998, when five forward-thinking technologists from Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley, led by founding CEO Diane Greene, set up shop above a deli in Palo Alto, Calif. They pioneered x86 virtualization, a technical accomplishment that most in the […]

A Letter From CEO Raghu Raghuram Celebrating VMware’s 25 Years of Collective Innovation - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

A Letter From CEO Raghu Raghuram Celebrating VMware’s 25 Years of Collective Innovation

Meet VMware's new Chief Operating Officer Mike Hayes and learn how important Operations has become in driving our growth and success.

Meet VMware's new Chief Operating Officer Mike Hayes and learn how important Operations is in driving our growth and success.

Meet VMware’s New Chief Operating Officer, Mike Hayes

VMware’s New Chief Operating Officer- VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Meet VMware's new Chief Operating Officer Mike Hayes and learn how Operations has become a strategic, customer-facing and revenue-driving function.

Setbacks don’t have to derail progress — a fact that’s easier to focus on when you’re surrounded by a team that’s as invested in your success as you are.

From Vision to Reality: Charting a Path to Tomorrow’s Success - VMware

From Vision to Reality: Charting a Path to Tomorrow’s Success

High performing organizations are only high performing if they recognize the power of Operations-Led Growth.

Mike Hayes, Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMware discusses why organizations that recognize the power of Operations-Led Growth will come out on top.

The New Frontier: Operations-Led Growth

The New Frontier: Operations-Led Growth- VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

We like the idea of transformational change and the better, brighter outcomes it can create. But the process of getting there? Not so much.

The Terror — and Thrill — of Transformational Change - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

The Terror — and Thrill — of Transformational Change

Mariam Sorond has joined VMware as the Chief Technology Officer of the Service Provider and Edge business unit.

Mariam Sorond has joined VMware as the Chief Technology Officer of the Service Provider and Edge business unit. Learn more about her outlook on the telco industry, her career path, and her leadership style.

Mariam Sorond: Head and Heart

Mariam Sorond has joined @VMware as the CTO of the Service Provider and Edge business unit. Learn more about her outlook on the telco industry, her career path, and her leadership style.

Bessie Yuan shares her career path to Vice President and General Manager of VMware's Greater China Region.

Bessie Yuan shares her career path and passion in helping develop more women as leaders in the community.

Bessie Yuan: Leading With Influence

Bessie Yuan: Leading with Influence- VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

"I want to see more women pursue their passion, and to develop and invest in themselves," Bessie Yuan, @vmware VP and GM of the Greater China Region, shares. #IWD2022

Leadership Stories

Leadership Stories Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Company

5G Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

edge

edge Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

innovation

innovation Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

multi-cloud

multi-cloud Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Multicloud

Multicloud Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

open ran

open ran Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

telco

telco Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Company Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Corporate News

Corporate News Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Environmental, Social &amp; Governance

Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion

Environmental, Social & Governance

Environmental, Social &amp; Governance Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Future Tech & Innovation

Future Tech &amp; Innovation Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Technologies

Future Tech &amp; Innovation

In The News

In The News Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Multi-cloud

Multi-cloud Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Technologies Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

VMware Explore

VMware Explore Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Customer Stories

Customer Stories Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Stories

Stories Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Amber Boyle

Amber Boyle Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Kit Colbert joined VMware in September 2003 (following an internship in 2002) and currently serves as senior vice president and chief technology officer. He is responsible for ensuring VMware’s long term technology leadership through research and innovation programs, with the primary goal of positively impacting and shaping the future of VMware, its ecosystem, and its customers. As CTO, Colbert’s will shape the technical vision for the company, and the transformation to a cloud and subscription-centric R&amp;D organization. His oversight includes advancing research and development efforts, overseeing the VMware Engineering Services team, the Design/UX team and the company’s ESG commitments.

Prior to September 2021, Colbert served in multiple roles, including VMware’s Cloud CTO, General Manager of VMware’s Cloud-Native Apps business, CTO for VMware’s End-User Computing Business, and as the lead architect for the VMware vRealize Operations Suite. Colbert joined VMware as the technical lead behind the creation, development and delivery of the vMotion and Storage vMotion features in VMware vSphere.

Colbert is a recognized thought-leader on application modernization and multi-cloud trends. He speaks regularly at industry conferences and serves as the multi-cloud voice for the <a href="https://octo.vmware.com/author/kit_colbert/">VMware Office of the CTO blog</a>.

Colbert holds a bachelor’s of science in computer science from Brown University.

Kit Colbert

Kit Colbert joined VMware in September 2003 (following an internship in 2002) and currently serves as senior vice president and chief technology officer. He is responsible for ensuring VMware’s long term technology leadership through research and innovation programs, with the primary goal of positively impacting and shaping the future of VMware, its ecosystem, and its customers. As CTO, Colbert’s will shape the technical vision for the company, and the transformation to a cloud and subscription-centric R&amp;D organization. His oversight includes advancing research and development efforts, overseeing the VMware Engineering Services team, the Design/UX team and the company’s ESG commitments. Prior to September 2021, Colbert served in multiple roles, including VMware’s Cloud CTO, General Manager of VMware’s Cloud-Native Apps business, CTO for VMware’s End-User Computing Business, and as the lead architect for the VMware vRealize Operations Suite. Colbert joined VMware as the technical lead behind the creation, development and delivery of the vMotion and Storage vMotion features in VMware vSphere. Colbert is a recognized thought-leader on application modernization and multi-cloud trends. He speaks regularly at industry conferences and serves as the multi-cloud voice for the VMware Office of the CTO blog. Colbert holds a bachelor’s of science in computer science from Brown University.

Kit Colbert Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Mike Hayes is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMware. He joined VMware in October 2020 and leads the company’s worldwide business operations and the acceleration of the Company’s SaaS transition. Prior to joining VMware, Hayes served as senior vice president and head of Strategic Operations for Cognizant Technologies where he ran a $2B P&amp;L for Cognizant’s largest financial services clients. Mike previously spent four years at Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm, where he served in Chief of Staff to CEO and COO roles. Hayes previously spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, serving throughout South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, including the conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His last job in the Navy was the Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO, which included ten months as the Commander of a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. Before that, Hayes was selected as a White House Fellow and served two years as Director, Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council, and served as the Deputy Commander for all Special Operations in Anbar Province, Iraq. His military decorations include the Bronze Star for valor in combat in Iraq, a Bronze Star for Afghanistan, and the Defense Superior Service Medal from the White House. In February 2021, Hayes published the book “Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning.” Hayes holds a master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross College. He is on the boards of Immuta, a data governance company, and the National Medal of Honor Museum. He is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Mike Hayes

Mike Hayes Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Paula Hodgins currently serves as Senior Vice President, WW Cloud Sales, at VMware. As the leader of the worldwide Cloud Sales Team, she and her team work across the sales and partner organizations to sell the entire VMware Cloud Portfolio, drive time-to-value for both enterprise and commercial customers and lead VMware’s evolution to become a Multi-Cloud leader.

In February 2021, Hodgins joined VMware as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Global Accounts and Telco Sales. In that role, she successfully led a team of trusted advisors focused on driving value and leading transformation for VMware and its largest and most strategic global customers.

Prior to joining VMware in 2021, Hodgins was President of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Canada. As the top executive in Canada, she ran all customer segments and supported some of Canada’s largest companies and government agencies through their digital transformation journeys.

Hodgins also spent 13 years at Microsoft, where she held multiple leadership positions working across global, US and Canadian subsidiaries. Most recently, Paula led Azure sales in the enterprise customer segment at Microsoft Canada, moving some of the country’s largest companies to public cloud for the first time.

Hodgins holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communications from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with her husband, Gary, and two children, Dylan and Danielle.

Paula Hodgins

Paula Hodgins currently serves as Senior Vice President, WW Cloud Sales, at VMware. As the leader of the worldwide Cloud Sales Team, she and her team work across the sales and partner organizations to sell the entire VMware Cloud Portfolio, drive time-to-value for both enterprise and commercial customers and lead VMware’s evolution to become a Multi-Cloud leader. In February 2021, Hodgins joined VMware as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Global Accounts and Telco Sales. In that role, she successfully led a team of trusted advisors focused on driving value and leading transformation for VMware and its largest and most strategic global customers. Prior to joining VMware in 2021, Hodgins was President of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Canada. As the top executive in Canada, she ran all customer segments and supported some of Canada’s largest companies and government agencies through their digital transformation journeys. Hodgins also spent 13 years at Microsoft, where she held multiple leadership positions working across global, US and Canadian subsidiaries. Most recently, Paula led Azure sales in the enterprise customer segment at Microsoft Canada, moving some of the country’s largest companies to public cloud for the first time. Hodgins holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communications from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with her husband, Gary, and two children, Dylan and Danielle.

Paula Hodgins Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

Raghu Raghuram joined VMware in 2003 and currently serves as the company’s CEO. He is an industry thought leader and has successfully steered the company’s strategy and technology evolution across VMware’s rich history.

During his tenure at VMware, Raghuram has held multiple leadership roles, most recently Chief Operating Officer, Products and Cloud Services, where he had responsibility for all of VMware’s product and service offerings and centralized services, support and operational functions. Prior, he led the company’s software-defined data center business as the executive vice president and general manager, where he was responsible for the division’s strategy, business and product planning and engineering execution. Before, he led the company’s cloud infrastructure and management business as the general manager, and led worldwide product marketing, product management and business planning for the company, and served as part of the leadership team that took the company through its initial IPO. Raghuram began his career at VMware running product management for ESX and vSphere.

Prior to VMware, Raghuram held product management and marketing roles at AOL, Bang Networks and Netscape. Raghuram holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.

Raghu Raghuram

Raghu Raghuram joined VMware in 2003 and currently serves as the company’s CEO. He is an industry thought leader and has successfully steered the company’s strategy and technology evolution across VMware’s rich history. During his tenure at VMware, Raghuram has held multiple leadership roles, most recently Chief Operating Officer, Products and Cloud Services, where he had responsibility for all of VMware’s product and service offerings and centralized services, support and operational functions. Prior, he led the company’s software-defined data center business as the executive vice president and general manager, where he was responsible for the division’s strategy, business and product planning and engineering execution. Before, he led the company’s cloud infrastructure and management business as the general manager, and led worldwide product marketing, product management and business planning for the company, and served as part of the leadership team that took the company through its initial IPO. Raghuram began his career at VMware running product management for ESX and vSphere. Prior to VMware, Raghuram held product management and marketing roles at AOL, Bang Networks and Netscape. Raghuram holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a Master&#8217;s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.

Raghu Raghuram Archives - VMware News &amp; Stories - EMEA

As President of VMware, Sumit Dhawan leads the company’s go-to-market functions including WW Sales, Strategic Corporate Alliances, Customer Experience and Success (CXS), Global Industries, Marketing, and Communications. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, Sumit is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of building and running market-leading businesses. He is a strong advocate for delivering an exceptional experience to customers and partners, and for supporting diverse teams, inclusive cultures and equitable environments that encourage the best in everyone.

Sumit previously served as VMware’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, managing global teams responsible for professional services, technical support and customer success. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer of Instart, a startup delivering innovations in web application performance and security services.

Before leading Instart, Sumit served as the general manager of VMware’s End-User Computing business, establishing the company’s leadership in mobile and unified endpoint management and desktop virtualization. He has also held a number of executive roles at Citrix spanning the engineering, product development, marketing, and general management functions.

Sumit holds an MBA from the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida, an MS in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota, and a BS in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Sumit Dhawan

As President of VMware, Sumit Dhawan leads the company’s go-to-market functions including WW Sales, Strategic Corporate Alliances, Customer Experience and Success (CXS), Global Industries, Marketing, and Communications. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, Sumit is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of building and running market-leading businesses. He is a strong advocate for delivering an exceptional experience to customers and partners, and for supporting diverse teams, inclusive cultures and equitable environments that encourage the best in everyone. Sumit previously served as VMware’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, managing global teams responsible for professional services, technical support and customer success. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer of Instart, a startup delivering innovations in web application performance and security services. Before leading Instart, Sumit served as the general manager of VMware’s End-User Computing business, establishing the company’s leadership in mobile and unified endpoint management and desktop virtualization. He has also held a number of executive roles at Citrix spanning the engineering, product development, marketing, and general management functions. Sumit holds an MBA from the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida, an MS in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota, and a BS in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).