Whitman alumna, IBM senior vice president to deliver IBM Centennial Lecture

Colleen Arnold ’81 M.B.A., senior vice president of application management services at IBM, will deliver the IBM Centennial Lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 1, on the Syracuse University campus. Her address, “Opportunities and Challenges for the Next Generation,” will use examples from the company’s 100-year history to provoke thought about the opportunities and challenges before the next generation of leaders.

The event begins at 11 a.m. in Lender Auditorium of the Whitman School building, 721 University Ave. It is sponsored by the Whitman School of Management and the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Provost. The event is free and open to the public. Paid parking is available in the University Avenue Garage.

Arnold is an alumna of the Whitman School and a member of the Whitman Advisory Council. She began her career with IBM in 1981, in various positions in the northeastern United States serving distribution and insurance clients. In her current role, Arnold oversees IBM’s AMS, which provides clients with an integrated approach to managing their applications portfolios. She is responsible for the revenue, profit and growth of IBM’s AMS business worldwide, and also leads the ongoing build-out and execution of IBM’s Globally Integrated Capability model, which includes the GBS global delivery strategy, global centers of delivery and centers of competency, solutions asset development centers and other capabilities—all designed for the benefit of IBM’s clients.

Arnold is a member of IBM’s Performance Team of senior executive leaders and has served on rotational assignments as a member of the IBM Chairman’s Strategy Team and IBM’s Technical Leadership Team. She brings more than 25 years of global leadership and IT client knowledge to her current position.

Prior to her current role, Arnold was general manager of GBS Strategy, Global Consulting Services & SOA, Global Industries and Global Application Services; IBM General Manager of Northeast Europe (including the U.K., Ireland, Nordic countries, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and South Africa); and played a key role preparing IBM clients for the year 2000 transition as general manager, Global Year 2000 Services, Distribution Industry and Computer Services.

Arnold serves on the board of directors for Cardinal Health, a global provider of products and services that improve the safety and productivity of health care. In this capacity, she serves on the governance and nominating committee, and has also served on the company’s audit committee and human resources and compensation committee.

She holds an M.B.A. from Whitman and a bachelor’s degree in business from Nazareth College.