Steffen Thoss

Senior Product Manager at IBM Quantum, leading a dynamic German team of 35+. Enabled seamless access to quantum platforms for customers, partners, developers, and researchers. Key achievements: integrated IBM Quantum Systems into IBM Cloud via Qiskit Runtime Pay-as-you-go, deployed IBM Quantum Flex access plan, launched IBM's European Quantum Data Center in Germany (Oct 2024), advancing quantum computing accessibility in Europe.

Directed IBM Z Asia Pacific technical sales org with a 75-person customer-facing team across hardware, software pre-sales, and services. Led technical teams in APAC accelerating enterprise hybrid cloud transformation. Tech portfolio: System Z, LinuxONE, RedHat OpenShift, z/OS, IBM zSoftware, CloudPaks. Responsibilities covered full customer lifecycle from pre-sales to ongoing services. Drove strategic engagement ensuring hybrid cloud adoption for enterprise clients using IBM's mainframe.

Directed a 100+ member IBM Systems Linux OS organization overseeing LinuxONE evaluation, service delivery, and quality standards through RedHat, SUSE, Canonical partnerships. Managed end-to-end delivery including system testing, optimization, information development, and customer enablement. Collaborated with RedHat on Z platform OpenShift deployment. Oversaw R&D System Z Datacenter operations. Drove technical excellence and innovation in enterprise Linux solutions with seamless hybrid cloud integration.

Product Manager for IBM Enterprise Linux Platform accountable for portfolio including Virtualization and LinuxONE. Drove product development through strategic customer collaboration ensuring solutions deliver business value and ROI. Partnered with clients to optimize IT expenditure through strategic consolidation, system optimization, and migration initiatives. Transformed customer requirements into innovative product roadmaps and budget allocation to maximize market impact and customer satisfaction.

Led IBM z/VM, Linux on z, and IBM Wave product teams, delivering successful launches including z/VM 6.3 (July 2013), zBC12 with z/VM/Linux on z integration, and IBM Wave for z/VM GA (Feb 2014). Empowered China-based teams (Sales, Dev, Support) to expand System z market in Asia Pacific. Provided technical support to customers in China/Asia, driving Linux on z and z/VM adoption. Bridged global product development with regional markets, ensuring successful launches and strong customer relationships in Asia

Managed 25-person Linux dev/QA team, orchestrating Linux distribution dev/testing in global org. Championed India team development via mentoring to build tech/leadership skills. Developed high-potential members for leadership/product roles and guided careers via mentoring. Partnered with System z customers to optimize IT spend via workload migration. Combined technical leadership and business development to drive team growth and customer success in regional markets.

Led 18-person international QA team in Germany, ensuring enterprise-grade Linux quality for Red Hat/SUSE. Developed team via coaching/mentoring to unlock potential. Cultivated future leaders via targeted mgmt dev initiatives, assigning growth responsibilities to candidates. Provided specialized problem resolution and tech consulting to int'l System z customers. Combined QA excellence with talent development, creating high-performing team while maintaining superior standards

Led 5 people Linux on System z service team as part of the IBM Linux Technology Center (LTC). Solved customer problems and complaints. Supported proof of concepts with an international IBM team enterprise customer (e.g. BTMU, Nomura, HomeDepot, CitiBank, Deutsche Börse, WellsFargo, SpardaBank). Onsite customer support, timely problem resolution for functional and performance related problems. Speaker at international System z conferences (e.g. SHARE, IBM technical conf. WAVV).

Contributed code to System z specific device drivers (qdio, qeth) and tools (s390-tools package) with focus on networking. Improved Linux for IBM server product line as part of the IBM Linux Technology Center (LTC). Speaker at international System z conferences.

Delivered system performance for enterprise IBM customers running Linux on System z and z/VM. Enabled System z platform specific performance features for Linux to help customers to run workload most cost effective. Part of an international System z performance group with z/VSE, z/VM, z/OS and Middleware experts. Support for proof of concepts and TCO studies. Speaker at international System z conferences.

Quality assurance for IBM System z Operating Systems and SAP. System z verification test as part of an international team for z/OS, z/VSE, z/VM and Linux on System z. Assured quality for these products for IBM System z hardware products (e.g. G5, G6, Multiprise 3000, z900). Part of founding group for Linux on System z. Led test for Linux on System z on the first 64 Bit System z. Optimised test process and gained savings by using test automation.