Since the program started in 1989, hundreds of LGO alumni have attained senior leadership positions in global companies, founded their own firms, or directed complex strategic initiatives. Below is a small selection of some of the operations careers possible after completing MIT LGO. You’ll find alumni who are at the top of their industries and who have made a difference in their organizations.
Position CEO
While at LGO MBA and SM Chemical Engineering
Previous Studies University of Texas, Chemical Engineering
Bill Anderson was named in 2023 as CEO of Bayer, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, leading an organization of over 100,000 people. Previously he had a long career at Roche Pharmaceuticals, the world’s largest biotech company, rising to become CEO of the company and previously serving as the CEO of Genentech. Before coming to LGO, Bill was a design engineer at Ethyl Corporation.
Position Chief Operating Officer
While at LGO MBA and SM in Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies University of Michigan, Mechanical Engineering
Dannielle came to LGO from Eli Lilly and Co. and afterwards joined McKinsey & Co.,in its operations practice. After departing McKinsey, Dannielle held various leadership positions at Novartis and its subsidiaries where her responsibilities included developing the strategic direction and driving product transformation. After Novartis, Dannielle held roles including Chief Executive Officer at Rubius Therapeutics. In 2023 Dannielle joined COUR Pharma as Chief Operating Officer.
I value what the program taught me. I received broad exposure and built relationships for a lifetime. Through McKinsey, I was able to further leverage the skills and experiences from MIT and codify classroom concepts. I think my mentality is characteristic of many LGOs. At the core we are passionate about improving operations and driving organizations to be the best in their field.
Position CEO
While at LGO MBA & SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies US Military Academy, Mechanical Engineering
Michael has had a career spanning the semiconductor, auto, agriculture and HVAC industries. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army and graduating from MIT LGO, Michael held roles at Intel and Dell Computer before joining Carrier, where he rose to VP and General Manager of a business unit. Michael then joined the HVAC business at Lennox, where he became President and COO of the company’s service and maintenance business. He then helped turn around the Bull Moose company into a diversified industrial manufacturer. Michael served a stint as CEO of VIP Cinema Seating and then became CEO of Virtus, a Tennessee-based manufacturer of specialized metal parts. Currently, Michael is CEO of the Board of Directors of Kothar Group.
Position Vice President and Chief Engineer
While at LGO MBA and SM Aeronautics/Astronautics
Previous Studies University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering
Since rejoining Boeing, Laura has held key manufacturing roles in the 737 and 787 programs. She served as Fleet Chief for the 747 program worldwide and as the General Manager of Boeing Salt Lake, a composite manufacturing hub for the company, and as Vice President, Materials & Manufacturing Technology. Currently she is Vice President and Functional Chief Engineer for Systems Engineering and Chief Engineer for Digital Transformation.
LGO has opened up doors I never thought I would have the chance to walk through. Now I have a dream job leading a manufacturing site.
Position Partnerships/Business Development Leader
While at LGO MBA and SM Civil and Environmental Engineering
Previous Studies MIT, Civil Engineering and Management
Jim Chow has 20 years of technical expertise, built initially in a long career at Google, where he worked to “make cloud computing a reality for all.” In 2020 Jim took on the role of VP for Partnerships and Business Development at cloud payments company Volante Technologies. In late 2023, Jim joined AI21 Labs to lead partnerships and business development.
In 2012 he was listed as one of NAAMBA’s Top 40 Global Emerging Leaders Under 40. While at LGO, Jim won the Charles Harrison Smith III Memorial Award, an honor given to the classmate who contributes the most to the LGO community over the two years.
Position CEO
While at LGO MBA and SM Materials Science and Engineering
Previous Studies United States Military Academy at West Point, Engineering
With over 25 years of experience in military and corporate organizations, Rick has a strong set of leadership skills across many dimensions. He is currently CEO of Workhorse Group, a last-mile EV and drone delivery company. Previously Rick led Delphi Technologies, a global leader in vehicle propulsion systems, and executed its merger with BorgWarner. Rick earlier served as CEO and President of Accuride Corporation and of Acument Global Technologies, and spent 13 years at American Axle and Manufacturing, Inc. in various roles. During his military career he was a company commander and qualified as an Airborne-Ranger and expert infantryman.
My experience in the military prepared me to be a leader, and the LGO program gave me a broad perspective on the types of leadership challenges we would face as business leaders. Our exposure to senior industry leaders and cutting-edge professors gave us the critical skills required to be effective and successful business leaders in a rapidly changing, competitive world.
Position SVP and President, North America
While at LGO MBA and SM Materials Science and Engineering
Previous Studies Stevens Institute of Technology, BS Materials Engineering
Michael’s career has been focused in the automotive industry, but spans many companies, continents, and a diverse set of roles. After many years at American Axle, Michael led the Brazil business units of Acument and Chassix, later leading all manufacturing across North and South America. Michael was then SVP leading manufacturing at Delphi Technology, and most recently became SVP and President for North America at Superior Industries.
“As a young LGO student, my LGO classmates became my family in Boston, which was so important for me. Since then, anytime an LGO reaches out to me and asks for help, I always answer. It’s a tight bond, because you know people come out of the program with a level of honesty, ethics and ability to work with each other. My LGO affiliation carries weight and responsibility. Now, as a mentor to the LGO URM Alumni Group, I love that they keep me on my toes, and I try to share my passion for leadership and the ops side of the business with them.”
Position CEO
While at LGO MBA and SM in Chemical Engineering
Previous Studies University of New South Wales, Engineering
Mick Farrell is CEO of ResMed, a global digital health and connected medical device company. Before leading the company, Mick spent 13 years in various roles at ResMed leading commercial operations for the Americas, sleep apnea business units, and market development. Previously, Mick worked in management consulting and in chemicals and steel manufacturing.
Position Chief EV and Digital Systems Officer
While at LGO MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies Purdue University, Mechanical Engineering
If you’ve ever driven a Ford or Tesla, used a Mac computer, or taken a Segway tour in a new city, then you’ve been impacted by Doug Field’s work. He was the #1 employee at Segway and built the team and technology for the company. After Segway he worked for Apple, first as VP of product design and then as VP of Mac hardware. During this time he oversaw nearly 2,000 employees. He led many technology developments at Apple, including new versions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac. At Tesla he developed and delivered a lower-cost Tesla model to market. Doug returned to Apple to lead special projects, before becoming Chief Officer, Advanced Technology and Embedded Systems at Ford in 2021.
Position Deputy President of Land and Air Defense
While at LGO MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies MIT, Mechanical Engineering
As a sponsored LGO student, Annabel returned to Raytheon after graduation and built her career in the defense industry. She held multiple roles in engineering, business development and program management, leading various efforts to provide critical capabilities to US warfighters and allies. Annabel currently is the Deputy President of Land and Air Defense of RTX, having previously served as President of Electronic Warfare Systems, leading the strategic direction and operation of a diverse portfolio of electronic warfare products such as the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Jammer and high energy laser systems, as well as Raytheon Australia.
LGO struck a great balance between technology innovation and business leadership. When leading teams, I’ve often leveraged the foundation provided during LGO. The greatest benefit for me has been the tight-knit community of the women in my class. They are a great inspiration as strong female leaders and a source of constant support.
Position CEO
While at LGO MBA and SM Engineering Systems
Previous Studies MIT, Chemistry
Guadalupe Hayes-Mota is an award-winning healthcare leader transforming organizations across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Guadalupe is currently the CEO and Founder of Healr Solutions, a company developing technology to solve the most urgent issues in biopharmaceutical supply chains. Previously, he directed the manufacturing and distribution of 17 medications to 98 countries at several biotechs (Ultragenyx, Biogen, Amgen & GSK), supplying millions of patients with medicine. Before entering biotech, Guadalupe ran the largest free healthcare system in the nation (UCLA Health) that provided over 30,000 underserved patients with care every year. While at RAND Corporation, he worked with the US government to help develop and implement the Affordable Care Act during the Obama Administration that gave access to 20 million people with healthcare.
In 2021, Governor Charlie Baker appointed Guadalupe to the newly formed Massachusetts Rare Disease Advisory Council to advise the Governor, Senate, House of Representative, & Department of Public Health on rare disease policy in Massachusetts. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Fenway Health, Save One Life, and the MIT LBGTQ+ Alumni Association, which he refounded and led as President.
Position Chief Operations and Supply Chain Officer
While at LGO MBA & SM Engineering Systems
Previous Studies U.S. Air Force Academy & Georgia Institute of Technology, Operations Research
After serving in the U.S. armed forces, Heath transitioned to a management role in operations after completing the LGO program. Heath joined Nissan directly after graduating from MIT, and has grown in leadership level continuously since then. After leading Nissan Europe’s supply chain, he became the VP for Manufacturing in charge of Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee plant, the largest automotive factory in North America. He rose to lead the entire corporation’s manufacturing and supply chain operations as Senior Vice President. In 2020 Heath was appointed to lead field operations at Target. He joined Kohler as Chief Operations and Supply Chain Officer in 2024.
My first real global exposure was at LGO: the faculty, the students, the companies we got to meet, and the people we got to talk to. The balance of engineering and business is extremely valued in global manufacturing companies.
Position Vice President and Head of Quality and EHS
While at LGO MBA and SM in Biological Engineering
Previous Studies University of Arizona, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Leigh is currently Vice President and Head of Quality and EHS at Applied Molecular Transport, where she supports deployment of novel oral biologic therapeutics. Leigh previously had a long career at Amgen, where she held positions like manufacturing manager and senior manager of plant quality before becoming the youngest director Amgen has ever had, ultimately overseeing Amgen’s entire operations and global manufacturing network.
My diverse experiences and close relationships with incredible classmates have given me great cross-industry knowledge, leadership skills, and a global perspective.
Position Group President, Resource Industries
While at LGO MBA & SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies Michigan State University, Mechanical Engineering
Denise launched a successful operations career after her mechanical engineering and MBA degrees with LGO. She led multiple high-stakes projects at General Motors and then moved to Caterpillar, where in 2016 she became group president for Resource Industries, the first woman to serve at that level in the company’s history. She developed a variety of skills at LGO that helps her strategically manage global operations and manufacturing organization.
Most of the challenges that I face in my career involve figuring out the optimal way—the optimal how—to get a job done successfully. LGO provided me with not only the analytical and problem-solving skill set that I needed to be truly effective but also the leadership and organization savvy that is so important for success in today’s business world.
Read Denise’s profile in MIT News
Position CTO/Co-founder
While at LGO MBA and SM in Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies University of Washington, Bioengineering
David worked in medical devices before MIT LGO. His team won the MIT 100K Business Plan Competition’s health science award. He and LGO classmate Brian Petersen subsequently launched Podimetrics. The company develops sensor devices to keep diabetic feet healthy.
In product development and operations, especially within a startup, every aspect of the business is interconnected and decisions in one area affect many others. The LGO program taught me to be a principled decision-maker in environments with uncertainty and many stakeholders.
Study shows Podimetrics’ Smart Mat improves foot ulcer detection ->
Position Director and Head of Business Strategy, Search Ads and Ads on Google Experiences
While at LGO MBA and SM Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Previous Studies Rice University, Computer Science
Wendy-Kay Logan currently leads Google’s long-term search advertisement growth strategy team across its $100B+ revenue portfolio. She previously led various Google initiatives specializing in user growth, product strategy, and monetization. She’s also led industry-wide initiatives like US strategy and rollout for Apple / Google Exposure Notifications to stop the spread of Covid-19. Before joining Google, Wendy-Kay was a senior consultant at McKinsey & Company and held product management and engineering roles at National Instruments and Motorola. In 2020, she was recognized among Silicon Valley’s Top 40 under 40.
LGO provided me with an expanded leadership and technical toolkit to apply to real-world problems. The program encourages leaders to focus on creating innovative yet pragmatic solutions, while incorporating a range of perspectives. Moreover, I treasure the relationships I formed during the program, which was made possible by the unique LGO “family within a family.”
Position Group President, Global Quality and Operations
While at LGO MBA & SM Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Previous Studies University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Computer Science and Engineering
Viju had a 19-year Intel career, distinguished by key leadership roles such as Factory Manager and Head of Worldwide Supply Planning Operations. After leaving Intel, Viju joined Verizon Wireless as Vice President, Supply Chain, eventually rising to become Chief Supply Chain Officer for all of Verizon. In 2018 Viju was named Group President for Global Quality and Operations at Stryker.
LGO proved to be an amazing inflection point in shaping my world view, developing my leadership skills, and influencing my subsequent career trajectory. Even after 20 years, I still draw from my LGO toolkit when it comes to thinking big and leading transformational change. I am a big LGO believer.
Position President, Pelvic Health
While at LGO MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies University of Michigan, Mechanical Engineering, and Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering
Since LGO, Mira has co-founded and led multiple innovative medical device start-ups as President, CEO and Board member, including several exits. As an SVP and GM at Smith + Nephew, she led the global P&L for two divisions of this larger medical device company through transformational change to deliver high growth and exceed expectations. Currently she serves as President of Pelvic Health Operating Unit at Medtronic, a leading medical technology company.
LGO was critical in shaping my career journey and my authentic leadership voice. The power of the LGO network throughout my career has been unmatched. It was one of the key reasons I selected the MIT LGO program for my studies and that I continue to be engaged today.
Position Senior Vice President and President, Urology and Pelvic Health
While at LGO MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies Tufts University, Mechanical Engineering
Meghan has held leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson and now Boston Scientific since graduating from LGO. When she decided to become a mother, Johnson & Johnson created a position specifically for her. She was able to rotate through finance and operations before settling into a role in marketing. She now uses her technical fortitude with sound product rationalization to make decisions and get buy-in from others.
LGO is one of the most unique experiences for a woman from a technical background because it prepares you to make a very successful transition into a business leadership role. Plus, LGOs are the most well-rounded individuals in the professional world.
Position CEO
While at LGO MS, Management and MS, Materials Science & Engineering
Previous Studies Kettering University, Electrical Engineering
Cheryl is the CEO of CNEXT, a diverse global community that helps connect, develop and advance high-impact leaders. CNEXT’s purpose is to help realize potential in all talent, with a particular emphasis on developing and retaining a diverse pipeline of exceptional future leaders, at scale.
For more than 30 years Cheryl has helped leaders effectively address challenges in the global business environment, and build the inclusive culture, leadership and organizational capabilities required for growth. Before leading CNEXT, Cheryl spent several years as a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, consulting in the leadership, diversity and inclusion, and culture shaping practices. Previous to Heidrick Cheryl spent 18 years at Duke Corporate Education, helping found and then scale the innovative, global executive education business. Cheryl’s diverse career history includes roles as an internal consultant for the Coca-Cola Company, as a Senior Engineer for the Aluminum Company of America, and as an engineering cooperative education employee for the Buick-Olds-Cadillac Division of General Motors.
Position Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing
While at LGO MBA and SM Engineering Systems
Previous Studies University of New Mexico and University of Washington, Electrical Engineering
Jason Trujillo is currently Vice President of Manufacturing Excellence at Stanley Black and Decker. In previous roles at SBD he led Advanced Manufacturing and Performance Resiliency and HR Transformation. Before joining SBD Jason was the VP of Leadership and Learning Solutions at IBM for three years and prior held numerous leadership positions at Intel spanning technical, operational, business and people operations domains.
The intersection of technology, business, and people is ubiquitous across all industries. LGO has been at the forefront of this transformation since its inception and embodies MIT’s hand and mind ethos. The knowledge, network, and experience I gained in the program enables me to lead through any challenge with a solid foundation and the tools I need to continue to learn and grow. I wouldn’t trade my LGO experience for anything.
Position Country President Switzerland
While at LGO MBA and SM in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Previous Studies Mechanical Engineering, RWTH Aachen and Tampere University of Technology
After LGO, Tanja continued to build her 15-year career at ABB, holding global leadership roles in her operations career such as Vice President of Supply Chain Management for the Power Electronics business and Vice President/General Manager for Service and After-Sales in Power Electronics. After serving for nine years as ABB Country Manager for various areas of eastern Europe, Tanja moved in 2020 to take on a Managing Director role leading one of ABB’s enterprise-level businesses. As of March 2022, Tanja assumed the role of Country President Switzerland for Schneider Electric.
LGO’s integrated curriculum emphasizes leadership, business, and technical acumen. It was an incredible learning experience in the classroom, during the various company visits, and from the other students in the class. The LGO alumni community has also been a great asset for me—one that I’m using regularly even today.
Position Director of Operations
While at LGO MBA and SM Civil and Environmental Engineering
Previous Studies Northwestern University, Environmental Engineering
Aimee Wiedmeyer isn’t just a director at Harley-Davidson: she’s also a customer. During her career, she has held positions like construction project manager, area manager, and manager of international projects. She leads continuous improvement projects for the company and does strategic business planning across several functions. Since joining the company she says she’s owned four motorcycles and enjoys supporting the company as a consumer just as much as an employee.
Position Chairman and co-founder
While at LGO MBA and SM Chemical Engineering
Previous Studies Princeton University, Chemical Engineering
Jeff Wilke retired as Amazon’s CEO Worldwide Consumer in February 2021. During his more than 21 years as a corporate officer, he led Amazon’s retail and third-party stores, Whole Foods Market, operations, marketing, Prime, and technology teams. Jeff led the deployment of techniques from lean manufacturing to create the infrastructure and technology that became Amazon Prime. His teams launched Prime Video, Prime Now, Prime Day, Amazon Fashion, and many other customer-facing innovations. Jeff helped create Amazon’s corporate culture and mechanisms, including Amazon’s Leadership Principles.
Jeff is Chairman and co-founder of Re:Build Manufacturing, which aims to integrate new technologies with conventional manufacturing businesses to accelerate growth and performance. Over the coming decades, the company expects to create new U.S. factories employing thousands of Americans. Prior to Amazon, he was VP of pharmaceutical fine chemicals at AlliedSignal. He began his working career in software development at Andersen Consulting. Jeff earned an MBA and S.M in chemical engineering in 1993 from MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program. He also holds a BSE in chemical engineering, summa cum laude, from Princeton. He served as chairman of the governing board for LGO from 2010 through 2020. He currently serves on the board of Code.org.
When I assumed leadership of Amazon.com’s operations in 1999, we needed a playbook—and fast. Fortunately, I had the LGO playbook, and it worked.