Frances W. West
Frances is Director of the IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center. The Center’s mission is to enable human capability through innovation, so all people can reach their potential, regardless of age or ability. She is charged with the worldwide responsibility of establishing IBM market leadership by promoting IBM advanced research technology, products, services and solutions in the area of human ability and accessibility.
Prior to this assignment, Frances was Director, Channels, Alliances and Business Development for the Lotus Software Group. She recruited and managed IBM Business Partners globally that specialize in Lotus software. In addition, Frances was Director, Financial Services Sector Solutions in the IBM Global Services organization. She managed investment funding and executed financial services solution plans for banking, insurance and financial markets globally.
Frances has also held various management positions in the IBM Sales and Marketing organization. She was responsible for hardware and software sales, business partner/alliance management and strategic investment in emerging markets. One of the highlights earlier in her career was serving as the Business Unit Executive of the Banking, Financial Services, Securities and Insurance Unit for the IBM Greater China Group. In 2005, Frances was nominated to be on the Board of Directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). She also was invited to testify, on behalf of the IT industry, at a US Senate hearing on the impact of accessibility open standards on the European Union. In 2006, she spoke at the UN e-Accessibility Conference in New York City, a UN International Day of Disabled Persons event. She currently is a Board of Director member of the Assistive Technology Industry Association and the US Business Leadership Network. Frances attended the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Washington & Lee University in Virginia and graduated with a marketing degree from the University of Kentucky. Frances is married with two sons and currently resides in West Newton Hill, Massachusetts.
