Libra appoints new Chief Innovation Officer
Libra Group has appointed its first Chief Innovation Officer, Phaedra Chrousos, to advance and embed the use of innovation and technology across its 30 global businesses. The appointment is part of a strategic drive by Libra Group to harness the power of emerging and disruptive technology and innovation within its operating sectors of aviation, energy, finance and diversified, hospitality, real estate, and shipping.
In creating this role, Libra is committing the thought leadership and resources needed to explore the scope for advancements such as artificial intelligence, big data, virtual reality, drones, and the internet of things.
A respected tech entrepreneur, Phaedra Chrousos will bring considerable expertise in designing and implementing complex processes across large organizations. She joins Libra Group from the US government, where she was a political appointee helping to build and lead a 300-person technology team with the remit to improve and transform public experience in interacting with national government online services. Phaedra’s work culminated in the creation of the Technology Transformation Service at the General Services Administration, which is the US government’s permanent platform for technology investment and transformation; she served as its Founding Commissioner.
Commenting on the appointment, George Logothetis, Libra Group Chairman and CEO, said: “Innovation has always informed how we operate at Libra and plays a significant role in our investment strategy and in ensuring that our operating subsidiaries are future-ready from both the commercial and environmental perspective. Creating an executive-level position dedicated to innovation is a natural next step for our organization, and one that will help us continue to advance in each of our markets.”
Phaedra Chrousos commented: “I am proud to be joining Libra Group as its first Chief Innovation Officer. Libra’s large and diverse portfolio lends itself to complex operations and rapid decisions which makes the strategic deployment of innovation and technology both exciting and challenging. In this new capacity, I’m looking forward to partnering with technology start-ups and academic innovation labs around the world to identify, test and help Libra businesses adopt solutions that will underpin their position at the forefront of innovation.”