Company: Nutanix, Inc. San Jose, CA
Nomination Submitted by: Jade Global, Inc
Company Description: Nutanix, Inc., is an American cloud computing company that sells software for datacenters and hybrid multi-cloud deployments. This includes software for virtualization, Kubernetes, database-as-a-service, software-defined networking, security, and software-defined storage for file, object, and block storage.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Woman of the Year - Technology
 Nomination Title: Kathy Chou
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2022 of the nominated woman, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below:
- Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 200 words used.
Kathy Chou is the SVP of SaaS Engineering at Nutanix. Kathy has led global engineering, sales, and operations teams of up to 1500+. She leads SaaS/Subscription transformation with $2B+ ARR across the customer life cycle, including Data Collection, Benchmarking, Identity Management, Sizing, Quoting, E-Commerce, License Management, and Support Automation.
Previously, she was the SVP of Worldwide Sales Strategy and Operations, VP of Customer Experience and Intelligence, and VP of R&D Operations and central services at VMware. Kathy came to VMware from Informatica, Intuit, and HP. Kathy serves as an independent board member for IonQ, the first public quantum computing company.
Kathy brings over 25 years of operations and management experience in the high-tech industry, with a track record of setting strategic vision and successfully executing plans in multi-organization, multi-geography, and multi-disciplinary teams.
A strong advocate of DEI, Kathy is a director for the Asian Pacific Fund and chairs the Santa Clara University Board of Regents, the Santa Clara Engineering Advisory Board, and the Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences.
Kathy Chou holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a master’s degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 158 words used.
Boards:
-
Asian Pacific Fund –Development Committee Co-Chair 2024-present, Director 2012-present
-
Stanford Institute for the Research in Social Sciences Chair 2023-present, Director 2014-present
-
Santa Clara University Board of Regents Chair 2023-present, Regent 2017-present
-
Santa Clara Board of Trustees Member 2023-present
-
Santa Clara University Engineering Advisory Board Chair 2023-present, member 2018-present
-
IonQ (first public quantum computing company) Comp Committee Chair 2023-present, Director 2022-present
-
Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board Member 2020-present
-
Cap & Gown (Stanford Women’s Honor Society) member 2000-present, Executive Committee 2020-present
AWARDS:
2021 Most Powerful and Influential Women Award, National Diversity Council
2020 YWCA Silicon Valley Women’s Leadership award
2013 Stanford Medal, highest distinction for volunteer service
2011 Top 100 Women of Influence, Silicon Valley Journal
2011 Wise Woman Award, Deloitte LLP
2009 Franz Edelman Prize for Excellence in Operations Research
Books:
- Outline the nominee's achievements since July 1 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Nutanix –Since July 1, 2022
-
Transformed the global SaaS Engineering organization focused on its mission to ‘drive world-class customer, partner, and employee experiences through data-driven innovation’ by shifting the team from order takers to order creators.
-
Focused on five strategic drivers: Channel and Customer Success Experience, Subscription and Renewals, Generative AI platform, building a scalable operating model and data as a foundation.
-
Leading a company-wide Master Data Management initiative and completing the Customer Master as we ramp up Product Master and eventually Employee Master.
-
Instituted several Nutanix-wide governing bodies such as the Nutanix Data Council, Data Governance Committee, Data Cohesion Steering Committee, and the Subscription Steering Committee.
-
The Subscription Transformation effort has led to the delivery of in-product subscription features, co-terming quotes, grid pricing, the end-of-sale of our old product portfolio, and proactive conversion to our new product portfolio.
-
Developed several innovation programs such as the SaaS Engineering Hackathon, Idea Hub, and Common Services
-
Created people programs such as mentorship, training, project rotation, and task forces focused on work/life blend, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and collaboration and accountability.
Outside Nutanix:
-
Director, Asian Pacific Fund, 2012 – present, Development Committee Co-Chair 2024-present
-
Independent Director, IonQ, first public pure-play Quantum Computing company, 2022-present, Comp Committee Chair, 2023-present
-
Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board, Baylor University, 2020-present
-
Board of Regents Executive Committee, Santa Clara University, 2017-present, Chair 2023-present
-
Chair, Engineering Advisory Board, Santa Clara University, 2018-present, Chair 2023-present
Chair, Institute for Research in Social Sciences, (iRiSS), Stanford University, 2013- present, Chair 2023-present
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Unique:
-
Kathy Chou is able to lead Sales Strategy and Operations (GTM) and Engineering (technical) functions at a high level (i.e., SVP Sales Strategy and Operations at VMware and SVP SaaS Engineering at Nutanix) – this combination of skills allows Kathy to be able to understand and impact the entire business lifecycle from development to go-to-market
-
Kathy is a wife and mother of 4 sons and has been able to balance work and life for her 25+ year career. From having significant roles at HP, Intuit, Informatica, VMware and Nutanix to being a art and science docent and yard duty leader, Kathy has been able to make an impact at work and at home.
-
Kathy has significant volunteer experience at the Asian Pacific Fund, Stanford University, Santa Clara University, and Baylor University. At Stanford, Kathy served on the 2015-16 Presidential Search Committee, Chair of the Alumni Committee on Trustee Nominations and Alumni Board. At Santa Clara University, Kathy is currently Chair of the Board of Regents, Chair of the Engineering Advisory Board, and a member of the Board of Trustees serving on the Academic Affairs and Fundraising Committees.
Significance:
Kathy is determined to make a difference in this world. She is currently serving as the Compensation Committee Chair for IonQ, the world’s first public quantum computing company and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies of 2022. Her hardware, software, sales/GTM, and engineering skillset allows for her to uniquely guide and counsel this growing company with a bleeding-edge technology.
| Attachments/Videos/Links: |
|---|
|
