Zimbabwean Engineer James Manyika Appointed Google’s First Vice President Of Technology And Society

James Manyika is reportedly Google’s first VP of technology and society. But this shiny new role comes with huge responsibilities, as he is tasked with shaping and sharing Google’s views on how technology affects societies.

The new appointment comes as Google battles different antitrust lawsuits, increasingly tougher regulations, and protests over its treatment of employees, and this appointment can be seen as the tech giant’s attempt to address these issues directly. 

Mayinka is a Zimbabwean national and according to his LinkedIn profile, he obtained his first degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe.

He then proceeded to the University of Oxford where he obtained a number of postgraduate degrees, including a doctorate in AI and Robotics.

Between 1994 and 2022, he worked at McKinsey & Company where he was promoted to quite a number of high-profile positions, including Chairman/Director of McKinsey Global Institute.

Manyika was also appointed by President Obama as Vice-Chair of the Global Development Council at the White House, and by two US Commerce Secretaries to the Digital Economy Board and the National Innovation Board.

He serves on the boards of research institutes at Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Stanford, and other top-tier schools.

So in other words – he’s pretty experienced and has a pretty awesome track record.

In a press statement made, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, said: “I’m thrilled that James Manyika will be joining Google’s leadership team. He’s spent decades working at the intersection of technology and society and has advised a number of businesses, academic institutions, and governments along the way.”