OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2015. GE (NYSE: GE) announced the creation of GE Digital, a transformative move that brings together all of the digital capabilities from across the company into one organization. GE Digital will integrate GE’s Software Center, the expertise of GE’s global IT and commercial software teams, and the industrial security strength of Wurldtech. This new model will be led by Bill Ruh, chief digital officer.

“As GE transforms itself to become the world’s premier digital industrial company, this will provide GE’s customers with the best industrial solutions and the software needed to solve real world problems. It will make GE a digital show site and grow our software and analytics enterprise from \\$6B in 2015 to a top 10 software company by 2020,” said Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE.

“With this alignment – backed by sustained investment – we will accelerate our efforts to build GE’s digital strength and win in the Industrial Internet. We are building the playbook for the new digital industrial world by harnessing our horizontal capabilities including Predix, software design, fulfillment and product management, while also executing critical outcomes for our customers. This is the strength of GE.”

GE plans to update advancements and customer collaboration at the Minds & Machines event on September 28-October 1 in San Francisco, CA.

Ruh has been leading GE’s Software COE and building the foundation of strong software experience for GE since 2011. Under his direction, GE has grown to over 1,200 software experts at the Software Center in San Ramon, CA. He is leading the team as they work on a diverse set of projects that capture the nimbleness of a start-up, while harnessing GE's powerful industrial intelligence to deliver better outcomes for customers.

GE Leadership Changes

In addition, the company announced a series of key leadership changes. Mark Begor is retiring from GE. Russell Stokes will succeed Mark at GE Energy Management and Jamie Miller will succeed Russell at GE Transportation. All of these changes are effective October 1.

Mark Begor is retiring after 35 years with GE. Begor began his career at GE in 1980, was named a company officer in 1996 and a GE senior vice president in 2005. He led a turnaround at Energy Management, preparing for growth from the Alstom acquisition. Prior to Energy Management, Mark held key leadership positions in GE Capital, including Commercial Real Estate and Synchrony. “I would like to thank Mark for his contributions, dedication and service to GE. I can always count on Mark to deliver and I value him as a friend,” stated Immelt.

Russell Stokes, 44, will lead GE’s Energy Management business as president and CEO, which will become a \\$13B business when combined with Alstom.  Stokes, an 18-year GE veteran, most recently led Transportation through paramount shifts as they launched revolutionary products ahead of the competition and outperformed the market. 

Jamie Miller, 47, will succeed Russell as the president and CEO of Transportation. Miller, who joined GE in 2008, is the right leader for this business to take digital solutions and service offerings to Transportation customers. In her most recent role as senior vice president and CIO, she drove GE’s digital transformation through global IT strategy, services and operations, and delivered innovative solutions for GE, its customers and employees. Jim Fowler, a 15-year IT leader at GE, will succeed Miller as CIO.

“All of our business leaders will be critical to our success as a digital industrial company and will help lead us through this generational change for GE,” added Immelt.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com