MIDDLEWARE

Dr. Johnson will shape the Institute’s strategic direction 

Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research pillar of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), the overarching advanced technology body in Abu Dhabi responsible for driving research and development for transformative technology outcomes, today announced the appointment of veteran technologist and entrepreneur Dr. Ray O. Johnson as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Johnson will work on shaping the strategic direction of the Institute and lead the execution of its growth strategies to achieve operational excellence.

Prior to joining TII, Dr. Johnson was an Operating Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, a top-tier American venture capital company that has been part of 130 IPOs in the last 50 years, and before that, he was the Corporate Senior Vice President for Engineering, Technology, and Operations and Chief Technology Officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Dr. Johnson brings to his role over four decades of experience in global technology leadership, making strategic investments in disruptive technologies, and developing business strategies that resulted in several new billion-dollar lines of business. He also holds outstanding networking capabilities; he has met with leaders at the highest echelons of government, industry, and academia. He is frequently sought after as a speaker at global forums on business, strategy, innovation, and education.

Speaking on the new appointment, His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of ATRC, said: “We welcome Dr. Ray Johnson as the first CEO of Technology Innovation Institute. His appointment is a much anticipated one – we were keen that the person entrusted with this role should not merely be an excellent research and technology specialist, but equally, a consummate professional and industry stakeholder that is capable of ensuring the most positive outcomes for the breakthrough projects TII is currently engaged in across its seven initial dedicated research centers.

“We are confident Dr. Johnson will be able to build game-changing synergies for TII as he leads it towards realizing its wider goals of growing its talented global team of 375+ researchers, scientists, and engineers, and ensuring the objectives of the current workstreams are met. He will also leverage his vast network to further expand our visibility and reach across markets.”

For his part, Dr. Ray O. Johnson said: “I am very excited about this new role in a region that I admire for its dedication to advanced research and development for the betterment of the UAE. Since TII’s inception in November 2020, I have followed its many announcements and achievements with great interest. As it moves into a new phase of growth, I look forward to working with the talented teams of researchers across its centers to drive competitive results and facilitate breakthrough solutions that transition to the market.”