As a managing consultant at IBM, I am mainly working with infrastructure owners and operators such as ports, airports, electricity and gas utilities to expand their asset management capabilities. My background at the intersection of business and IT has given me a profound comprehension of complex systems and networks, their weaknesses, and the essential strategies required for their resilience and adaptability. In 6+ years of industry work, I learned about definitions, risks and opportunities of smart and sustainable infrastructure as well as their wider socio-economic context. As a postgraduate Sustainable Urban Development at Oxford University, I contributed to the academic literature with my research at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure (Rijkswaterstaat) on the sustainability impact of data-driven asset management on civil infrastructure.
IBM’s holistic approach drives innovation leveraging expertise in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cloud computing while prioritizing social benefits and sustainability goals such as the creation of more robust and resilient systems and the development of ethical and responsible AI respecting privacy and societal norms. For instance, IBM's Green Horizons initiative uses AI to predict and mitigate air pollution, helping to improve public health and environmental sustainability. In addition to developing blockchain-enabled solutions that enhance transparency and traceability in supply chains, IBM’s work in AI-driven weather forecasting and climate risk modelling contributes to disaster preparedness and response.