Barbara Humpton joins the Concordia Leadership Council

Concordia is pleased to announce the addition of Barbara Humpton, President & CEO of Siemens USA, to its Leadership Council. Humpton has over a decade of experience at the technology company and now guides its strategy and engagement in its largest market globally. Previously, she held positions with Booz Allen Hamilton and Lockheed Martin. 

Recently, she sat down with Concordia Co-Founder & CEO Matthew Swift to share her vision for her role as a Concordia Leadership Council Member and how her work at Siemens USA aligns with Concordia.

Matthew Swift: Concordia’s Leadership Council plays a critical role in shaping programming and driving the direction of Concordia’s initiatives. What do you hope to accomplish in your new position on the Leadership Council, and how will this position help you advance Siemens’ mission to transform the everyday? 

Barbara Humpton: Siemens’ business strategy is built around addressing the big megatrends facing society: everything from climate change to aging demographics, urbanization and the digital transformation of industry and infrastructure. One shifting megatrend we’re really paying close attention to right now is what I’ve been calling “glocalization.” We know that globalization is increasing. Yet the pandemic has revealed the need to continue tapping into global innovation while making supply chains shorter, being able to produce vital products closer to the point of demand. I look forward to bringing this perspective to the table and to new synergies as we look to address these inexorable forces shaping society.

MS: Much of your work in the private sector has focused on building public sector partnerships. As you know, Concordia is dedicated to facilitating cross-sector partnerships. Based on your experience, what are the greatest benefits of these types of partnerships and why do you feel they are such a beneficial tool for Siemens USA?

BH: Think about the new bipartisan infrastructure law. I remember being at the bill signing event standing shoulder to shoulder with lawmakers across both sides of the aisle. There were folks representing labor, government, nonprofit organizations, and business. I thought, this is what it’s all about: bringing people together to build for a changing tomorrow. With infrastructure, federal investment jumpstarts the process, but only time will tell what gets innovated along the way. When I worked on the Global Positioning System early in my career, it was a tool for the Air Force; people literally said, “Who will ever use this?” Now we all use GPS in our daily lives. Things are on the horizon we can’t even imagine yet, and partnerships help us discover those possibilities.  

MS: As President and CEO of Siemens USA, you’ve expressed an interest in how technology can expand what’s humanly possible. What innovations are you hoping to see in the near future that will redefine our perception of what is possible?

BH: I’m looking for technology applied with purpose. We know what the tools we have are capable of. The question really is: Can we form the strategic partnerships that deliver big breakthroughs? Take something like our digital twin technology that combines the real and digital worlds. Pair it with 3D printing and you see a new way to manage national preparedness with a digital strategic reserve of critical items instead of physical stockpiles. We’re also excited about our collaboration with Ford on a customized electric vehicle charger for the F-150 Lighting. It can be used as a power generation source. So, is it a car, or is it a home energy independence device? There’s so much innovation happening on the edge of the grid as we build more sustainable energy systems. With the right partnerships, the transition to electric, connected mobility will happen much more quickly than perhaps we currently imagine.   

To view the full Leadership Council, click here.