BURNABY, BC – (July 9, 2018) – D-Wave Systems Inc., the leader in quantum computing systems and software, today announced that Jennifer Houston has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Marketing. Houston’s strong marketing leadership at technology companies and deep communications expertise made her the ideal candidate for this new role as D-Wave expands the breadth of its product offerings and its base of customers.
“As the first quantum computing company, D-Wave is the leader in creating what is now a fast-growing quantum computing industry. Jennifer’s strengths in communications and global marketing will help to keep D-Wave at the forefront of the conversation about quantum computing and how this revolutionary technology will benefit businesses and other organizations,” said D-Wave CEO Vern Brownell. “Her demonstrated ability to build new markets with global marketing strategies will help fuel our growth, as we continue to bring the most advanced quantum computing hardware and software to market.”
Houston brings nearly twenty years of marketing and communications experience in the technology and software industries. Most recently, Houston was Vice President of Marketing at Apptio, where she executed multi-channel brand and product campaigns to engage customers and accelerate demand for Technology Business Management (TBM) applications. Houston was a vital member of Apptio’s senior leadership team, which led the company to its IPO in September 2016. In 2012, Houston established Pluck Disrupt, a marketing and communications consulting firm aimed at crafting go-to-market strategies for mid-stage technology startups. Before that, she created the first digital marketing business at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, an integrated communications and public relations agency known for its work with industry leaders like long-time client Microsoft.
“I’m excited to join the incredible team at D-Wave, which has led quantum computing development and commercialization for two decades,” said Jennifer Houston. “I’ve spent my career at the edge of business and innovation—bringing amazing ideas to market in competitive environments. D-Wave is doing just that as they are at the intersection of creating a new market and mind-blowing technology, building disruptive quantum systems and applications with world-changing implications. I am awed by their work and honored to become part of the senior leadership team, bringing strategic marketing efforts to help propel the company to a new level of growth and expansion.”
This strategic hire comes on the heels of months of significant momentum for D-Wave. Recent milestones include notable customer growth in Japan, Europe, and North America, additional funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, and the launch of Quadrant, a new business unit providing machine learning services.
About D-Wave Systems Inc.
D-Wave is the leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems and software, and the world's only commercial supplier of quantum computers. Our mission is to unlock the power of quantum computing for the world. We believe that quantum computing will enable solutions to the most challenging national defense, scientific, technical, and commercial problems. D-Wave's systems are being used by some of the world's most advanced organizations, including Lockheed Martin, Google, NASA Ames, USRA, USC, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With headquarters near Vancouver, Canada, D-Wave's US operations are based in Palo Alto, CA and Hanover, MD. D-Wave has a blue-chip investor base including PSP Investments, Goldman Sachs, Bezos Expeditions, DFJ, In-Q-Tel, BDC Capital, Growthworks, 180 Degree Capital Corp., and Kensington Capital Partners Limited. For more information, visit: www.dwavesys.com.