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Jeff Immelt

Chairman and CEO, General Electric (2001–2017)

About

Gender: Male
Nationality: United States
Languages: English
Travels from: United States

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Biography Highlights

  • Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric (2001–2017), overseeing a major transformation into a digitally focused global powerhouse.
  • Led GE through multiple crises, including the aftermath of 9/11, the 2008 financial meltdown, and rapid technological change.
  • Author of Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company, sharing leadership lessons on managing volatility and fostering innovation.

Biography

When he took the helm at General Electric, Jeff Immelt knew that in a rapidly digitizing, increasingly interconnected, and predictably unpredictable world, a fundamental paradigm shift would be required if GE was to maintain its dominance and chart the kind of future that could honor its history. He set a new vision and course for what the company could be, transforming what had been a classic conglomerate into what is now considered a 125-year start-up. Immelt left GE more disciplined, resilient, inventive, and forward-focused than it had ever been. Audiences will learn directly from a CEO who has navigated volatility and invested in disruption at a scale unprecedented in business. Organizations of all sizes from all industries will gain insight into how to identify the best ideas and act on them by adopting a spirit of curiosity and purpose. Immelt’s memoir Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company was released in March 2021.

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Media, podcast appearances and interviews

Topics

Jeff Immelt believes the task of CEO has never been as difficult as it is today. And he should know: He led a team of 300,000 people for 16 years—through recessions, bubbles, and at least three “black swan” events. He transformed General Electric from the quintessential American conglomerate into an innovative, digitally-focused global powerhouse. In the words of the Harvard Business Review, “Immelt utterly remade the organization he inherited.”

How did he do it? How does a leader not only persevere, but thrive, in spite of crises? How do companies create meaningful, lasting value for their customers? Immelt answers all these questions and more, sharing key takeaways from the initiatives he implemented and inspiring audiences to embrace change so that their organization, like GE, is ready for any future.

Jeff Immelt believes the task of CEO has never been as difficult as it is today. And he should know: He led a team of 300,000 people for 16 years—through recessions, bubbles, and at least three “black swan” events. He transformed General Electric from the quintessential American conglomerate into an innovative, digitally-focused global powerhouse. In the words of the Harvard Business Review, “Immelt utterly remade the organization he inherited.”How did he do it? How does a leader not only persevere, but thrive, in spite of crises? How do companies create meaningful, lasting value for their customers? Immelt answers all these questions and more, sharing key takeaways from the initiatives he implemented and inspiring audiences to embrace change so that their organization, like GE, is ready for any future.

Available: In person, Virtually

From the time he took the reins at General Electric, Jeff Immelt understood that in order to remain competitive, the company needed to do two things: innovatively leverage technologies that would allow GE and their customers to achieve leaps in productivity, and enter faster-growing markets around the world at scale. He succeeded at both, transforming GE from an industrial titan into the first digital industrial one by building a strong digital platform and establishing leadership in the Industrial Internet. He also greatly expanded the company’s global presence—today, more than 60% of its revenue comes from outside the U.S. In this engaging presentation, Immelt explains how to build a digital, global company that can withstand change and foster sustainable growth.

Available: In person, Virtually

As the former President and CEO of GE Healthcare, Jeff Immelt has long believed that healthcare must be married to technology. He understands the major dynamics of today’s marketplace: the desire to better link consumers and providers, the rising costs as people live longer, and the increasing need for payment reform. He articulates how these are further complicated by political instability and regular disruption. Immelt offers audiences unparalleled insight into the future of the industry—and explains how decisions made in Washington will impact business writ large.

Available: In person, Virtually

Books

Jeff Immelt book

Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company

A memoir of successful leadership in times of crisis: the former CEO of General Electric, named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, shares the hard-won lessons he learned from his experience leading GE immediately after 9/11, through the economic devastation of the 2008–09 financial crisis, and into an increasingly globalized world.In September 2001, Jeff Immelt * the most famous CEO in history, Jack Welch, at the helm of General Electric. Less than a week into his tenure, the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the nation, and the company, to its core. GE was connected to nearly every part of the tragedy—GE-financed planes powered by GE-manufactured engines had just destroyed real estate that was insured by GE-issued policies. Facing an unprecedented situation, Immelt knew his response would set the tone for businesses everywhere that looked to GE—one of America’s biggest and most-heralded corporations—for direction. No pressure. Over the next sixteen years, Immelt would lead GE through many more dire moments, from the 2008–09 Global Financial Crisis to the 2011 meltdown of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors, which were designed by GE. But Immelt’s biggest challenge was inherited: Welch had handed over a company that had great people, but was short on innovation. Immelt set out to change GE’s focus by making it more global, more rooted in technology, and more diverse. But the stock market rarely rewarded his efforts, and GE struggled. In Hot Seat, Immelt offers a rigorous, candid interrogation of himself and his tenure, detailing for the first time his proudest moments and his biggest mistakes. The most crucial component of leadership, he writes, is the willingness to make decisions. But knowing what to do is a thousand times easier than knowing when to do it. Perseverance, combined with clear communication, can ensure progress, if not perfection, he says

Read more..

Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company

A memoir of successful leadership in times of crisis: the former CEO of General Electric, named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, shares the hard-won lessons he learned from his experience leading GE immediately after 9/11, through the economic devastation of the 2008–09 financial crisis, and into an increasingly globalized world.In September 2001, Jeff Immelt * the most famous CEO in history, Jack Welch, at the helm of General Electric. Less than a week into his tenure, the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the nation, and the company, to its core. GE was connected to nearly every part of the tragedy—GE-financed planes powered by GE-manufactured engines had just destroyed real estate that was insured by GE-issued policies. Facing an unprecedented situation, Immelt knew his response would set the tone for businesses everywhere that looked to GE—one of America’s biggest and most-heralded corporations—for direction. No pressure. Over the next sixteen years, Immelt would lead GE through many more dire moments, from the 2008–09 Global Financial Crisis to the 2011 meltdown of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors, which were designed by GE. But Immelt’s biggest challenge was inherited: Welch had handed over a company that had great people, but was short on innovation. Immelt set out to change GE’s focus by making it more global, more rooted in technology, and more diverse. But the stock market rarely rewarded his efforts, and GE struggled. In Hot Seat, Immelt offers a rigorous, candid interrogation of himself and his tenure, detailing for the first time his proudest moments and his biggest mistakes. The most crucial component of leadership, he writes, is the willingness to make decisions. But knowing what to do is a thousand times easier than knowing when to do it. Perseverance, combined with clear communication, can ensure progress, if not perfection, he says

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