IBM

This article is part of the Spinwatch privatisation of Schools Portal project.

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA.

IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and offers infrastructure services, hosting services, and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology.

IBM and Education reform

Lobbying for computer science on curricula

IBM has been part of the push by technology giants, among others, to get coding and computer science on curricula in countries around the world.

When the UK government agreed to introduce a new computing curriculum from September 2014, IBM alongside Microsoft, Google and others, came together with the government with a programme to train teachers to teach the new curriculum.

PR & Lobbying

Lobbying firms

United States In 2014 IBM spent $4,950,000 lobbying Washington. It employed the following lobbying agencies (as of 2014):

• Burton Kamins Advocacy
• Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates
• Prime Policy Group
• McAllister & Quinn

• In 2008, IBM was listed as a having been a client of The Gorlin Group

Lobbying groups

• IBM has ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). (see the Center for Media and Democracys 'ALEC Exposed' project for more on the US lobbying group, ALEC.

It is also a member of the follow groups:

• American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union
• BUSINESSEUROPE (Advisory and Support Group)
• Digitaleurope
• European Services Forum
• Friends of Europe / Security and Defence Agenda
• Open Forum Europe
• CSR Europe
• Lisbon Council
• German Marshall Fund US
• European Internet Forum
• Transatlantic Policy Network
• NESSI
• Business Software Alliance (BSA)
• The American European Community Association (AECA)

EU lobbying

According to its entry on the EU transparency register, IBM spent 1,500,000 € - 1,749,000 € in 2014 lobbying in Brussels.

IBM has an interest in a wide range of EU policy issues, including: Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation programme; European Regional Development Fund regulation; the European Cloud Computing Strategy, Communication COM(2012) 529 final; data protection regulations; TTIP, the EU-US trade negotiations.

IBM is also a member of the following European Commission 'expert groups' (advisory groups):

• The Open Innovation Strategy and Policy Group (DG Connect); brings together 'industrial groups, academia, governments, and private individuals to support policies for open innovation at the European Commission'
• Cloud Computing Strategy Working Groups (DG Connect)
• NIS Platform (Network and Information Security)
• JRC Working Groups on Innovation and the role of patents]] (Joint Research Centre - the European Commission's 'in-house science service')
• ITS Platform (Intelligent Transport Systems)

and

• Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation

UK political affiliations

• HM Treasury Controlled Foreign Companies (CFCs) working group (2010-2011) - representative Kathy Bishop

People

• Virginia Rometty ('Ginni'): current Chairman, President and CEO of IBM

Board

• Alain J.P. Belda
• William R. Brody
• Kenneth I. Chenault
• Michael L. Eskew
• David N. Farr
• Shirley Ann Jackson
• Andrew N. Liveris
• W. James McNerney, Jr.
• James W. Owens
• Virginia M. Rometty
• Joan E. Spero
• Sidney Taurel

Lobbyists

• Liam Benham, Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Europe
• Nicholas Hodac, Brussels lobbyist
• Sarah Greenwood, Brussels lobbyist
• Merel Wackwitz, Brussels lobbyist

• Michael King: Vice President and General Manager, Global Education Industry at IBM; 'represents IBM at all levels of government and education policy issues around the globe'

Contacts

• Website:
• Address:

HQ: New Orchard Road, 1; Armonk; New York; 10504

Brussels: Avenue de Cortenbergh, 116; Bruxelles 1000