IBM today announced key members of the executive team to lead the independent company that will be created following the previously announced separation of IBM’s Managed Infrastructure Services business (“NewCo”).

The leadership appointments represent an important step toward establishing an independent NewCo, which will be a global leader in the management and modernization of IT infrastructure.  The company’s new name will be announced in the coming months, and the separation is expected to occur by the end of 2021.

Elly Keinan was named as Group President of the new company.  Maria Bartolome Winans has been named as NewCo’s Chief Marketing Officer.  Both executives are veterans of the technology industry and have held global leadership roles.

“These executives bring great global expertise as we build a purpose-led culture for our new company,” said Martin Schroeter, who assumed the role of NewCo’s Chief Executive Officer on January 15.  “Elly and Maria have deep knowledge of the industry, and they share our unwavering commitment to our talented employees and to the success of our customers. I know they will play a pivotal role in the leadership team we are building to deliver excellent value to customers and shareholders.”

Keinan is a veteran of more than three decades in the technology industry, most recently as a venture partner of Pitango Venture Capital, Israel’s leading venture capital group.  He served as general manager of IBM North America, general manager of IBM Latin America, and chairman of IBM Japan, among many technology and market leadership roles at IBM.  He serves on boards of several technology companies, as well as the board of directors of the United Way of New York City.

Winans has risen to top marketing roles in her 25-year career at IBM and has spent the last three years as the chief marketing officer for IBM Americas, with direct responsibility for marketing sourced revenue, demand generation and all geography marketing professionals across North America, Canada, and Latin America.  She has led marketing teams in IBM’s Watson business and in IBM’s Software unit, with specific expertise in industry solutions, and has been a leader in IBM’s Hispanic community.

NewCo will be a leading technology services provider, with twice the scale of its nearest competitor in managed infrastructure services.  It has relationships with more than 4,600 technology-intensive, highly regulated customers and a backlog of more than $60 billion.  Managing and modernizing customer-owned infrastructures is a $500 billion market opportunity.