Harriet Green
| Harriet Green | |
|---|---|
| Born |
12 December 1961 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
| Residence | Summertown, Oxford |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Westwood's Grammar School |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Years active | 1985-present |
| Salary | £2.86 million (total Thomas Cook remuneration, 2013)[1] |
| Title |
CEO, IBM business divisions – the Internet of Things and Education Business. Previously CEO, Thomas Cook Group (2012-2014) CEO, Premier Farnell (2006-2012) |
| Spouse(s) | Graham Clarkson |
| Children | 2 |
Harriet Green, OBE (born 12 December 1961) is a British businesswoman who leads three IBM business divisions, the Internet of Things, Commerce and Education Businesses.
She was CEO of the Thomas Cook Group from July 2012 to November 2014.[2]
Early life
She was born on 12 December 1961 in Cheltenham, England to Dermot Green and Nerys Allen.[3] She grew up in Shipton, Gloucestershire, east of Cheltenham, in the Cotswolds. She was educated at Westwood's Grammar School in Northleach.[4]
She studied Medieval History at King's College London, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in 1983. She then studied Business Psychology at the London School of Economics, graduating in 1985.[3]
Career
Green spent her early career in the electronic components industry, working in Europe, the United States and Asia. She was managing director of Macro Group, and then appointed president of the Asia/Pacific sector of Arrow Electronics from 2002 to 2006. She was chief executive officer of Premier Farnell, a global electronics distribution business, from 2006 until 2012.[3]
She became CEO of Thomas Cook Group on 30 July 2012, succeeding Manny Fontenla-Novoa who was CEO from 2003. She obtained this position by cold calling chairman Frank Meysman.[5] On 26 November 2014, it was announced that Green was leaving with immediate effect, and that Peter Fankhauser, the COO would take over as CEO.[1][6] Despite the deaths of Christianne and Robert Shepherd occurring in 2006 before she was appointed, Green announced in June 2015 that she was donating a third of her £5.7m Thomas Cook bonus, £1.9m, to a charity chosen by the parents of two children who died while on holiday. The Group was highly criticised by the coroner in the 2015 inquest - which ruled the pair were unlawfully killed from carbon monoxide poisoning in Corfu in 2006 - for its treatment of the family, which included the period of Green's tenure.[7]
IBM appointed Green as the head of the IBM Watson Internet of Things business unit on 15 December 2015.[8][9] The company is based in Armonk, NY.[10]
Personal life
She lives in Summertown, Oxford. She married Graham Clarkson[11] in 2004 in Oxfordshire, and the couple have two adult children.
Green received an OBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours. She is a devotee of hatha yoga and reads several books a week, claiming that indulging in literature delivers an escape and relaxation away from business. Green has previously claimed that she only sleeps for around four hours a day. In February 2013, she was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[12]
References
- 1 2 Farrell, Sean (26 November 2014). "Thomas Cook shares crash amid shock departure of Harriet Green". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ↑ "Harriet Green OBE". BBC Radio 4.
- 1 2 3 "GREEN, Harriet". Who's Who 2015. A & C Black. October 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ↑ "Thomas Cook CEO Harriet Green from Cheltenham named Business Woman of the Year". Gloucester News Centre. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ↑ Armitstead, Louise (June 25, 2013). "Thomas Cook boss Harriet Green got job by cold-calling chairman". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ↑ "Thomas Cook chief resigns saying her work 'is complete'". BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ↑ "Ex-Thomas Cook boss confirms bonus donation over Corfu deaths - BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ↑ "New IBM Watson Chief David Kenny Talks His Plans For 'AI As A Service' And The Weather Company Sale". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ↑ "Ex-Thomas Cook boss Harriet Green received £6.3m in 2015 despite only working two months". Telegraph. 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ↑ Ghosh, Debojyoti. "Everyone in IBM understands their part in a cognitive future: Harriet Green". Forbes India. Forbes India. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
- ↑ Barkas, Eric (August 8, 2006). "Sitting comfortably in the boss's chair". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour - The Power List 2013". Bbc.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
External links
| Business positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sam Weihagen |
Chief Executive of Thomas Cook Group July 2012 - November 2014 |
Succeeded by Peter Fankhauser |