Bon McLean

Client focused and growth-oriented with over 20 years of experience in driving business development, commercializing innovative solutions, and empowering exceptional business operations.   Passionate and enthusiastic about helping clients grow and prosper, fostering creative problem solving, and adding a positive impact.

Senior Manager, National Innovation Team - IBM Canada Ltd., Jan. 2019 to present:

• Managed site and business operations of the IBM Innovation Space, IBM’s startup incubator located at 185 Spadina Ave.
• Directed innovation program called ‘Startup with IBM’,  identifying and implementing digital business solutions from startup companies that drove over 400% growth. 
• Led a cross-functional team of IT architects, designers, and business analysts, while also managing relationships with external vendors and advisors.
• Fostered a culture of agile execution and continuous learning by melding startup methodologies within an enterprise environment. 
• Analyzed and forecasted financial budgets to ensure 100% of innovation projects were delivered on-time and on-budget.

Chief of Staff, COO - IBM Canada Ltd., Oct. 2015 to Dec. 2018:

• Managed a $5M critical IT project involving networking and security to renovate the Canadian headquarters location into an open innovation space, including co-locating with partners from all 3 levels of government, ventureLAB and York University.
• Orchestrated collaboration across 5 lines of business to develop and execute effective communication, ensuring alignment with the company's vision and mission.
• Generated comprehensive reports and dashboards to provide insights on performance and facilitate data-driven decision-making.
• Prepared and delivered high-quality presentations, reports, and communications on behalf of the CIO and executive team.

Program Manager, Manufacturing - IBM Canada Ltd., Jan. 2015 to Sept. 2015:

• Utilized technical skills to build, support and implement an internal process improvement program, evaluating, selecting, and adopting over 50 efficiency opportunities, leading to a cost savings of over $50K.
• Managed 3 manufacturing production lines to identify, assess, and mitigate risks that may impact product delivery, resulting in a 100% on-time target success rate.
• Created alignment with 6 executive leaders on scheduling, budgeting and resource management to track program progress, key performance indicators and metrics.

Solution Architect, Technology Services - IBM Canada Ltd., Mar. 2007 to Sept. 2009:

• Successfully developed, managed, and launched a new service product called Platform Integration and Deployment Services and generated over 100% growth.
• Collaborated with business stakeholders and development teams on 30 new opportunities to understand business requirements and translated them into technical solutions, generating at least 25% revenue growth each year.
• Provided technical leadership and guidance to development teams, ensuring adherence to architectural standards and best practices.
• Participated in project planning and estimation activities, providing technical expertise and guidance.

IT Manager, Solution Centre - IBM Canada Ltd., Feb. 2005 to Mar. 2006:

• Led and managed a team of 6 IT professionals, providing guidance, coaching, and performance feedback and fostered an innovative work culture, promoting continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Oversaw the planning, implementation, and maintenance of the organization's technology infrastructure as revenue grew from $1M to $16M.
• Developed and enforced IT policies and procedures to ensure 100% compliance, data security, and operational efficiency.

Software Engineer, Solution Centre - IBM Canada Ltd., Jun. 2001 to Jan. 2003:

• Developed a customer facing web app which improved operational efficiency by over 60% and led to worldwide adoption within other Solution Centre’s.
• Created and maintained technical documentation, including design specifications and user guides to ensure knowledge sharing and best practices.
• Participated in agile development methodologies, including sprint planning, stand-up meetings, and retrospectives and communicated project progress, challenges, and risks to stakeholders in a clear and timely manner.

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science and Psychology - University of Toronto, 2001