Renée Lahti is responsible for developing and implementing information technology (IT) initiatives that align with the Hitachi Vantara mission. She leads the transformation of the Hitachi Vantara IT group from a conventional organization with many operational silos to a dynamic, agile team that efficiently focusses on business outcomes. Today, the IT group is an organization of cross-functional teams that include business and IT functions and work together using iterative, agile sprints.

Just as many of our customers are doing in their digital transformations, Lahti has moved away from company-owned data centers and offers IT as a service to Hitachi Vantara business groups and to sister Hitachi companies. Her rethinking of IT's purpose and agility enabled the IT group to integrate Hitachi Data Systems, Hitachi Pentaho and Hitachi Insights into the new Hitachi Vantara organization, switching over our information systems and service desks around the world in less than 30 hours!

Lahti meets frequently with our customers' CIOs to share experiences and exchange effective strategies. She regularly gives feedback to our marketing and development teams to help Hitachi Vantara stay current with the challenges and opportunities that our customers face every day.

Prior to Hitachi Data Systems, Lahti held CIO positions at SC Johnson and Sons, and Symantec Corporation and senior IT leadership roles at Oracle and PeopleSoft. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master's degree from the University of Texas. Lahti says she was very privileged when she was growing up because no one ever told her she should limit her aspirations. She is a strong advocate of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs and careers for girls and women to give them the confidence to do what inspires them.