Executive Solution Sessions

Goro Watanabe

Goro is responsible for developing new technologies and partner technology alliances. His leadership in international alliances, strong sense of business and profitability, plus decades of ICT and processor engineering, inspired the creation in the late 1990's of a Silicon Valley team to work closely with Sun Microsystems. Relocated with his family to Cupertino, he went on to develop the Solaris OS for Fujitsu’s PRIMEPOWER, the world’s fastest server of its time. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Masters in Computer Engineering from University of Tokyo.

Larry Abramson

Larry Abramson is a principal at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he specializes in Oracle Cloud Applications and Engineered Systems. He was formerly senior vice president and general manager of Oracle's Advanced Customer Services, where he and his team developed products such as advanced monitoring and resolution, Platinum Support, Solution Support Center, technical account management, Oracle Exadata installation and support, and other advanced services.

Abramson began his professional career with Arthur Andersen, where he worked with Oracle technologies. He entered Andersen's US partnership in 1998 and its worldwide partnership in 2000. After Andersen, Abramson joined Appshop, one of the first Oracle application service providers and an early innovator in cloud services for Oracle Applications. In 2004 he was named 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year by El Dorado Ventures for his work as Appshop's CEO. Abramson is a 1989 graduate of the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management with a double major in accounting and management information systems. He is a member of Eller College's National Board of Advisors.

Ian “Fresh” Burns

Ian “Fresh” Burns is now part of his ninth America’s Cup campaign, spanning nearly 30 years of sailing history. He returns to his role heading up performance analysis with ORACLE TEAM USA, a team focused on winning a third consecutive America’s Cup.

Burns was the youngest of three children growing up around Sydney Harbour. His mother had been a keen sailor during the war years and the Burns children were all immersed in sailing from early ages. “As the youngest, I was the logical crew person,” says Burns. “There was no escape, really. From about the age of five, I was crewing regularly.”

After graduating with honors from the University of Sydney in mechanical engineering, Burns began to focus on international racing. “During my university years, I had my first taste of high-level racing when I got an opportunity to sail with Syd Fischer (who spearheaded five America’s Cup campaigns) when he was two-boat testing his Ragamuffin yachts.”

Opportunities to join the Kookaburra America’s Cup team in 1985 with Iain Murray—an old sailing buddy and multiple-time world champion who now runs the America’s Cup Regattas—allowed Burns to combine his sailing skills and technical aptitude in one occupation. Later, forming a design house with Murray, they were responsible for multiple Sydney-to-Hobart winning designs (including designing and navigating the winner in 1995), world championships, and Admiral’s Cup wins. Successive America’s Cups have offered consecutive positions as navigator on board various defenders and challengers, design involvement in carbon fiber masts and hulls, performance analysis, and software development.

Burns joined the Oracle America’s Cup campaigns when they first formed in the summer of 2000. He sailed with the crew as a navigator during the 2002 to 2003 Challenger Selection Series; for the 2007 and 2010 campaigns he ran the design process for the massive winged trimaran. Winning the 2010 and 2013 America's Cups with yachts that pushed the boundaries on what is possible provided Burns the ability to develop and apply the latest technology to the fastest boats.

Focusing on the performance information from the boats to help make them go faster has been a life-long passion for Burns, who has seen onboard yachting technology go from hand-bearing compasses and 10-knot top speeds to multiple computers integrated through a 50-knot platform.

Career Highlights
America’s Cup
1987: 26th America’s Cup—Kookaburra (navigator)
1992: 28th America’s Cup—Spirit of Australia (design/navigator)
1995: 29th America’s Cup—One Australia (design/navigator)
2000: 30th America’s Cup—Aloha Challenge (design/navigator)
2003: 31st America’s Cup—Oracle BMW Racing (navigator)
2007: 32nd America’s Cup—BMW Oracle Racing (design)
2010: 33rd America’s Cup—BMW Oracle Racing (design)
2013: 34th America’s Cup—ORACLE TEAM USA (design)
2017: 35th America’s Cup—ORACLE TEAM USA (design)

Other
1995: Sydney-Hobart Winner—Terra Firma (design/navigator)
1998: Maxi World Championship—Sayonara
2003: Admiral’s Cup Winner—Wild Oats
Multiple: Sydney-Hobart Line Honours wins on Wild Oats XI

Raejeanne Skillern

Raejeanne Skillern is the general manager of the Cloud Service Provider business within Intel’s Data Center Group. She manages Intel's business, products, and technologies for cloud infrastructure deployments and works closely with the world’s largest cloud providers to ensure Intel’s Data Center product portfolio is optimized for their unique needs.

Prior to this role, Skillern was director of marketing and business development for cloud, where she led the creation of the Intel Cloud Builders and Finders programs, assisted in formation of the Open Data Center Alliance, and extended Intel’s brand to cloud services through the “Powered by Intel Cloud Technology” badge program. Skillern has been with Intel for more than 20 years, 15 of which have been with the Data Center Group covering roles in product marketing, strategic analysis, demand creation, and business development. She also spent two years with Intel Online Services, a startup subsidiary of Intel Corporation that provided co-location and managed hosting services.

Skillern holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science and an MBA in finance from Pepperdine University.

Gary Stockman

Gary Stockman serves as CSC’s chief marketing and communications officer, with responsibility for leading the company's global integrated marketing communications team and advancing CSC's brand, value proposition, and competitive position with key stakeholders.

Prior to joining CSC, Stockman held a variety of executive roles at communications and marketing agencies, leading integrated programs for clients in technology and consumer goods. He has consistently sought new technologies and diverse talent to help organizations become more innovative, responsive, and market-driven. His expertise includes brand and product marketing, corporate reputation, issues management, social media, and digital analytics.

Before founding his own marketing consultancy, Stockman served in senior management positions including global CEO and senior partner of Porter Novelli, one of the world’s largest public relations firms. During his 12-year tenure at Porter Novelli he provided strategic counsel to a range of clients, from startups to multinationals.

Prior to Porter Novelli, Stockman was a partner at Silicon Valley technology communications firm Copithorne & Bellows, where he co-led its merger with Porter Novelli. He is the recent past chairman of the executive council of the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.

A former journalist, Stockman holds a BA in English from the University of Rochester.