As Senior Vice-President of IBM Research, Dr Horn oversaw the largest and most prolific research organisation dedicated to information technologies.
For the 11 years Dr Horn ran IBM Research, the organisation retained its title as the US’ biggest generator of patents. Spending US$6 billion annually and employing more than 3,000 world-class research scientists and technologists, IBM Research is among the best resourced facilities in the world.
Dr Horn, 60, is credited by IBM with transforming the company’s research organisation “into an engine room of innovation and growth”.
Among the high-profile projects completed through Dr Horn’s period at IBM Research included the development of the Deep Blue supercomputer that defeated chess grand master Gary Kasparov, and Blue Gene, the supercomputer used to better understand human proteins.
He also oversaw the first use of copper and self-assembly in chip manufacturing, as well as huge advances in autonomic computing.
Dr Horn will be replaced by Dr John Kelly, who was most recently IBM Senior Vice-President in charge of technology and intellectual property.
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