Speaker Bio
1
Emily Fontaine is a distinguished American business executive, investor, and
recognized global leader in artificial intelligence. Renowned for her strategic
vision and transformative leadership, she is a thought pioneer, value creator,
and trusted advisor at the forefront of enterprise innovation.
Over a distinguished 15-year career at IBM, Emily has led bold transformations
and delivered exceptional results across operations, management, and client
engagement. Her success reflects a rare blend of strategic acumen, executive
presence, and deep technical insight. Prior to her current role, she served as
Executive Advocate to IBM’s Chairman and CEO, following her leadership as AI
Federal Leader for IBM Consulting.
As Vice President and Global Head of Venture Capital at IBM, Emily leads the
company’s $500 million Enterprise AI fund, Quantum investing strategy,
strategic partnerships, and Open Accelerator Program. Under her leadership,
IBM Ventures has made high-impact investments in companies such as Hugging
Face, Unstructured, Writer, Not Diamond, QEDMA, and Reality Defender—
advancing generative AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and sustainability
across the enterprise landscape.
Emily works closely with IBM’s Executive Leadership Team to drive strategic
initiatives and external engagement in emerging technologies. As an Executive
Advocate for key strategic accounts, she deepens client relationships, shapes
enterprise strategy, and ensures IBM’s innovation aligns with client goals. Her
ability to navigate complexity, inspire teams, and deliver results has earned her
recognition as one of IBM’s most influential leaders.
She serves on the Boards for Rohirrim and AuthMind, and is a member of the
Heads' Advisory Council at St. Mark’s School, where she focuses on institutional
financial health. Emily was nominated by IBM’s CEO and selected as a 2024–
2025 Fellow on the Committee for Economic Development at The Conference
Board, deepening her engagement with national economic policy and executive
leadership networks. She was also chosen for the 2025 Tech:NYC Civic
Fellowship, sponsored by Bloomberg, reflecting her role as a sought-after expert
in venture capital trends and innovation in AI and quantum technologies.
Originally from Bolton, Massachusetts, Emily holds a bachelor’s degree from
Mount Holyoke College and an MBA from George Washington University. She is
based in New York City.
recognized global leader in artificial intelligence. Renowned for her strategic
vision and transformative leadership, she is a thought pioneer, value creator,
and trusted advisor at the forefront of enterprise innovation.
Over a distinguished 15-year career at IBM, Emily has led bold transformations
and delivered exceptional results across operations, management, and client
engagement. Her success reflects a rare blend of strategic acumen, executive
presence, and deep technical insight. Prior to her current role, she served as
Executive Advocate to IBM’s Chairman and CEO, following her leadership as AI
Federal Leader for IBM Consulting.
As Vice President and Global Head of Venture Capital at IBM, Emily leads the
company’s $500 million Enterprise AI fund, Quantum investing strategy,
strategic partnerships, and Open Accelerator Program. Under her leadership,
IBM Ventures has made high-impact investments in companies such as Hugging
Face, Unstructured, Writer, Not Diamond, QEDMA, and Reality Defender—
advancing generative AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and sustainability
across the enterprise landscape.
Emily works closely with IBM’s Executive Leadership Team to drive strategic
initiatives and external engagement in emerging technologies. As an Executive
Advocate for key strategic accounts, she deepens client relationships, shapes
enterprise strategy, and ensures IBM’s innovation aligns with client goals. Her
ability to navigate complexity, inspire teams, and deliver results has earned her
recognition as one of IBM’s most influential leaders.
She serves on the Boards for Rohirrim and AuthMind, and is a member of the
Heads' Advisory Council at St. Mark’s School, where she focuses on institutional
financial health. Emily was nominated by IBM’s CEO and selected as a 2024–
2025 Fellow on the Committee for Economic Development at The Conference
Board, deepening her engagement with national economic policy and executive
leadership networks. She was also chosen for the 2025 Tech:NYC Civic
Fellowship, sponsored by Bloomberg, reflecting her role as a sought-after expert
in venture capital trends and innovation in AI and quantum technologies.
Originally from Bolton, Massachusetts, Emily holds a bachelor’s degree from
Mount Holyoke College and an MBA from George Washington University. She is
based in New York City.