IBM Names Head of New IT Infrastructure Services Company

FILE PHOTO: The IBM logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The IBM logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo
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IBM Names Head of New IT Infrastructure Services Company

FILE PHOTO: The IBM logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The IBM logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo

IBM Corp on Thursday named former financial chief Martin Schroeter to head its new IT infrastructure services unit when it becomes public, as the 109-year old company shifts gears to focus on its high-margin cloud business.

IBM will list its unit, which provides technical support for 4,600 clients in 115 countries, as a separate company with a new name by the end of 2021.

The world's first big computing firm has set its sights on the so-called hybrid cloud, where it sees a $1 trillion market opportunity as more companies use a combination of their own datacenters and leased computing resources to manage and process data.

An IBM veteran, Schroeter was chief financial officer from 2014 to 2017 and also served as senior vice president of global markets, before leaving the company in June 2020.

Schroeter will assume the new role on Jan. 15.

IBM's new company, which will have 90,000 employees, will focus on the management and modernization of IT infrastructure across industries.



Saudi Transport Minister Launches Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles 

Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Transport Minister Launches Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles 

Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch ceremony in Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Board of the Transport General Authority Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser launched on Wednesday the Initial Operational Phase of Autonomous Vehicles in Riyadh.

This milestone marks a significant step aimed at enabling advanced technology and expanding the development of a smart and safe transportation ecosystem in the Kingdom.

The initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and is an extension of Saudi Vision 2030 towards adopting sustainable mobility solutions powered by the latest artificial intelligence technologies.

This project is the result of an integrated partnership that brings together the transport and logistics ecosystem and relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology ecosystem, the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), in addition to private sector partners represented by technology and operations partners Uber, WeRide, and AiDriver.

The autonomous vehicles in this phase will operate within a real-world environment covering King Khalid International Airport and several key locations across Riyadh, including major highways and selected city center destinations.

This phase is implemented under the direct regulatory and technical supervision of the Transport General Authority. The vehicles will transport passengers with a safety officer onboard each vehicle to ensure safety and monitor the performance of smart systems in actual operating conditions.

Al-Jasser stressed that the launch of the initial operational phase reflects the Kingdom’s ambitious vision to build a smart and integrated transport system that supports economic growth and enhances quality of life.

Enabling modern technologies and developing regulatory and operational frameworks are key pillars to expanding the implementation of this technology and supporting the transformation of the transport sector, he added.

The initiative is an extension of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote sustainability, improve mobility efficiency, and localize innovation. This project represents a pioneering model of public-private partnership, paving the way for a future of safer and smarter mobility, he stated.