IBM Alumni

Welcome to the IBM Alumni Network! Once an IBMer, always an IBMer… #IBMAlumni

Meet Catalin, IBM’s Ecosystem Marketing Leader for the Middle East and Africa. After leaving IBM in 2015, he returned in 2017. Catalin highlights the amazing people, great career path, learning opportunities, and work-life balance as his favorite aspects of IBM and the reasons for his return. How did he experience these in his own career? Read his story to find out! “Few know the journey that brought me here. In December 2012, I started at IBM as a demand specialist, quickly becoming a subject-matter expert. But after two and a half years, I felt the need for international experience. So, I decided to move to Barcelona, Spain, where I continued my career with a different company. However, in less than three years, I returned to Bucharest and rejoined IBM, working with the IBM’s Nordic business partners. This role broadened my understanding of different markets and business models. I helped build successful co-marketing campaigns, traveled, and met with business partners and colleagues, which made things even better. My dedication led to a promotion to a people management position, leading a team of 16 ecosystem marketing professionals across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Big thanks to the team for putting up with a new manager, showing patience and understanding. I'm grateful for the support from my team, colleagues, and the organization, as their guidance helped shape my leadership skills. As now I am leading in the Middle East and Africa, I appreciate the value of collaboration and witnessing the impact of IBM’s technology. Today, I cherish the work-life balance at IBM, enabling me to enjoy hobbies and family time. Reflecting on my journey, rejoining IBM was pivotal for my personal and professional growth.” Interested in returning to IBM? Join our Talent Network and explore potential opportunities tailored to you: https://ibm.co/3wS7aA1

Are you open to new opportunities and considering a return to IBM? If you’re keen to explore open jobs, sign up for our Talent Network to receive potential opportunities straight to your inbox. Sign up here 👉 https://ibm.co/4bqq5kl

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”I spent the best 14 years of my career at IBM, where I managed large cross-border teams and dealt with the most challenging situations in areas like consulting, sales, implementations, global delivery and more. 🌐 As for my next two gigs? I became Asia Pacific’s Head of Technology for a business data and solutions company, and then I was Chief Digital Advisor at a leading global company in the information technology industry. 🏢 As the lyrics in “Mambo No. 5” 🎵 suggest, there was "a little bit of IBM in my life" wherever I went. Let's face it: I think IBM has built some of the coolest tech around 💾, like Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM); Reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture; and Fortran (the world’s first programming language standard, which opened the door to modern computing). And in my opinion, they are turning out to be the go-to guys for enterprise GenAI. As for me now, I do what I like to do: I advise select corporations and startups on technology roadmaps and scaling plans. I co-host my fun tech podcast called 3TB (3 Techies Banter), have my tech trivia newsletter, I am a dedicated dog father 🐶, I work with animal welfare organizations and maintain a low carbon footprint (travel only if life-threatening 😅)." It’s our great pleasure to read exciting career stories from former IBMers - thank you Samiran for sharing your story with us! #careerjourney #careerintech

“Why did I decide to rejoin IBM a year after leaving? I’m Jay, a Business Analyst in IBM Consulting, currently based in Manila, Philippines. I first joined IBM in 2018 as a Business Analyst for a very important local bank's digital transformation journey (Hybrid cloud services, Microservices). When I started, it was both familiar and unfamiliar: familiar in the sense that the industry was banking, which I’d already had experience in, but also unfamiliar, since now I was on the other side of the fence - providing solutions and options, not deciding on a project's direction. I left IBM in 2022 and joined the shared services group of a global bank as a Customer Journey Expert. One of the banking domains I was deeply involved in that time was anti-money laundering (AML). I was proud to have been part of the team involved in the data integration of different systems and reference data with this bank's global KYC (Know Your Client) tool. When I came back to IBM, I felt I was in a unique position: most of my past banking work experience was in the local banking scene. I was also excited when I rejoined as I knew I would be working with top talents in IBM again. It’s really fulfilling to work on a project, see it through production, and actually be able to use the product on an almost daily basis. This is one of the main reasons I decided to come back. I look forward to more years with IBM!” #BusinessAnalyst #IBM #IBMAlumni

“It has been quite a journey, from my first client project — Learning Solutions Consultant at IBM in the depths of Somerset in the UK — to supporting a 10,000-strong workforce’s career initiatives since IBM, and speaking as a thought leader within my profession. At IBM, I have made friends for life, since first joining in 2005, and have created a network across industries and countries. The first thing I learned were the acronyms 🙂 IBM was what I would call my professional “alma mater” — one of the steepest learning curves in my journey. It was my first brush with: 🏢 Working with external clients 📚 Understanding EdTech (Educational Technology) 🙌🏼 ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations Today, I am the Global Head of Talent and Academy for a technology firm in over 90 countries. Last year, I completed a doctorate in the future of learning in hyper-growth and start-up organisations. I do not attribute my achievements or failures to any one person (besides myself) or organisation. I truly believe that you get where you are with your willingness to learn, your grit, and some luck — at the same time, it’s also important to acknowledge the role of your ‘tribe’: your support system of family, friends, colleagues. IBM has been a hugely important part of my journey, my network, and my Tribe.” We’re very proud to see IBM Alumni succeed in their next adventures, just like Serena, who’s holding a global award for Outstanding Contribution to Learning in this photo. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! #talent #consultant #leadership

“After leaving IBM, I found myself longing for what I had left behind. It wasn't until two years later, upon my return as a Business Development Executive at IBM Research, that I truly appreciated what I had missed. During my time at IBM, I wore many hats — from Consulting to Finance, Business Development, and Offering Management. What made my experience truly special was witnessing how seamlessly these functions collaborated, fostering a Growth Mindset as I adapted to new challenges and teams. Among my fondest memories was working with customers on Blockchain, helping them navigate supply chain challenges. But it was a call from a client that led me outside IBM's walls, immersing me in the world of automotive distribution. Yet, despite the enriching experience, I found myself yearning for what I had left behind. What did I miss most about IBM? 1️⃣ The global reach and rich history, coupled with stimulating conversations about groundbreaking technology shaping our world. 2️⃣ The wealth of knowledge readily available, from materials to fellow experts, facilitating continuous learning and growth. 3️⃣ IBM's commitment to fostering diversity, providing a supportive environment for Asian-Americans like myself to thrive and celebrate our heritage. Returning to IBM, I noticed significant changes in technology and workflows, including the integration of AI assistants. Yet, amidst these transformations, the core values remained steadfast — innovation, respect for colleagues, and unwavering dedication to client satisfaction. For me, IBM is more than a workplace; it's where I feel most at home, and I eagerly anticipate continuing my journey with the company.” Interested in returning to IBM? Join our Talent Network and explore potential opportunities tailored to you: https://ibm.co/4bieJhW #careers #IBMAlumni

Tune in to the Inspiring Voices #podcast, brought to you by #IBMs Executive Search and Integration team. In this latest episode you get to listen to Maurice, Vice Presicent of Americas zSoftware and co-chair of the Black Executive Council, where he shares many great stories for inspiration, one being about how executives in today's IBM are set up for success by a great support system of mentors, advisors, and leaders, as well as an environment of never-ending opportunities. He also elaborates more in depth about mentorship, emphasizing the importance of treating books as mentors. Would you agree? What is the best tip you’ve read in a book? Share in a comment below! Listen to the full episode here: https://ibm.co/3xPQucp #diversity #leadership #mentorship

"Though I had left, I always had it in the back of my mind that given the right circumstances, there may be an opportunity to come back and continue where I had left off and start a new chapter at IBM.” Meet David, based in the Chicago area, who came back to IBM in 2023 after pursuing external opportunities in the last two years. “I originally started at IBM in July of 2014, covering roles in Data & AI for mid-market, commercial, and Enterprise accounts until June of 2021. I worked out of the Chicago office with a team of coworkers where I was a team lead, helping onboard coworkers who made their way through the IBM Summit Program or came in as professional hires. I worked to help them learn the systems and solutions we sold. After a few years in this role, I made the move to Enterprise sales before leaving IBM in June of 2021. While during my tenure at IBM, I was most proud of the team we had, hitting multiple IBM Hundred Percent Club awards and the Best of IBM in 2015, which took us to Hawaii with my wife. While I left IBM, I never lost contact with those I had grown quite fond of while working there. I was in regular contact with my old manager and several others from the team. I ultimately thought I needed to give the opportunity of leaving IBM a chance, since it was a good opportunity to learn more about myself and gain experience outside of IBM. I learned a lot about myself and what I really had become accustomed to and appreciated about IBM.” Then one day, the opportunity to come back to IBM became a reality for David: “My former IBM manager and her team had expressed a reunion as an option, and I was welcomed back with open arms. The opportunity to come back to IBM in a new role, covering a new portfolio of products, was a breath of fresh air as I had been doing analytics at this point for almost 10 years, and a new portfolio gave me a new perspective on what else is out there. Coming back to IBM, understanding the systems and the people, and navigating IBM has been a blessing! I am beyond words for the support I have received coming back and I appreciate those around me more than I could have imagined. I am thankful and happy to make the move and look forward to continuing the journey from where we started almost ten years ago and look forward to success in the next ten!” We’re lucky to have people like David back at the Big Blue! 💙 If you’re also interested in returning to IBM, sign up for our Talent Network to receive potential opportunities straight to your inbox: https://ibm.co/4cYAcy2 #careerjourney #returntoIBM #Alumni