Overview

David Stokes is a senior international technology executive and board advisor with more than 25 years of leadership across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A former Chief Executive of IBM UK & Ireland and COO for IBM Europe, Stokes has led multiple IBM businesses through major technology shifts, bringing deep expertise in software go-to-market strategy—including SaaS, AI and automation—technology-led business transformation, organizational governance, and building diverse, high-performing teams. He now focuses on a non-executive, charitable trustee, and advisory portfolio with particular interest in agentic AI and technology ecosystems.

Career History

In his most recent executive role, Stokes served as General Manager for the Partner Ecosystem across EMEA, shaping strategy, growth, and performance for one of IBM’s most significant commercial engines. He oversaw the design and implementation of the IBM Partner Plus program in EMEA, which has enabled technology partners to engage in more than 10,000 opportunities and contribute over $1B in business across the region, while championing ecosystem skilling initiatives that developed the AI-based businesses of both existing and new partners.

Prior to this, Stokes served as Chief Operating Officer for Europe, leading operational simplification and execution across a multi-billion dollar region. As Chief Executive of IBM UK & Ireland, he steered the organization through accelerated digital transformation, strengthened client engagement models, and advanced IBM’s market position during a period of substantial technological change.

Stokes’ earlier roles within IBM included international leadership assignments in Shanghai, Prague, London, Paris, Madrid, and Sydney. Stokes led IBM’s General Business segments across Growth Markets, Central & Eastern Europe, and the UK, Ireland and South Africa—experience that deepened his capability in scaling operations, developing talent, and delivering sustained commercial performance across diverse regulatory, cultural, and economic contexts.

Stokes is now a senior board advisor to Quant – a US-based technology company which pioneers the use of agentic AI, creating digital employees that autonomously drive business processes in real time- focused on the expansion of their business in Europe – and Celerity – the UK-based technology services provider.

Personal

Stokes was educated at the University of Sydney–and currently serves as a member of the International Advisory Board for the University’s Business School. He has also supported students through the University’s Dalyell Scholarship Program.

He is a Trustee of Initiatives of Change – a Christian faith-based charity, and previously chaired Project Kimbo – a parish-based charity supporting a Catholic community in rural Uganda. Later this year, he will join the board of governors for St. George’s College in Weybridge, UK.

He continues to be an advocate for leadership development, neurodiversity in the workplace, and the importance of transforming education to harness the potential of AI for both economic growth and social development.

He is a citizen of both the UK and Australia, residing in the UK with his family where he enjoys keeping fit and is a keen tennis player. He is learning Spanish and enjoys spending time when he can in the country.