US-based industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE) has promoted Beth Comstock to vice chair of GE Business Innovations, making her the first woman to hold that title in the company’s history.
In her new job, Comstock will be responsible for building out GE as a service while also remaining in charge of her current duties, including leading the company’s corporate venturing unit GE Ventures.
Comstock will also continue to head GE Lighting as well as oversee corporate marketing, sales and communications.
Comstock first joined the company in 1998 as vice president of corporate communications, leaving her position of senior vice president of corporate communications at media company NBC, then a subsidiary of GE.
In 2002, she was named chief marketing officer before returning to NBC from 2005 to 2008 as president of integrated media. Comstock rejoined GE in 2008 as senior vice president.
Jeff Immelt, chairman and chief executive of GE, said: “As we advance our digital capabilities, create new markets and build partnerships that enhance GE’s inventive culture and brand, Beth continues to be instrumental in delivering better, faster outcomes for our customers.
“Beth has a proven reputation inside and outside GE for transforming the enterprise and being a catalyst for digital innovation and growth. She has spearheaded our investment in the industrial internet – driving our evolution to a digital industrial company.
“Her passion for change and innovation is critical to our growth strategy.”
– Photo courtesy of LinkedIn