GE Gathers Software in Digital Business

General Electric (GE), Fairfield, Conn., is looking to be a major player in software, particularly for the industrial Internet of Things. The company this week announced the creation of a new business unit dubbed GE Digital, which will bring together all of the digital capabilities from across the company into one organization. GE Digital will integrate GE’s Software Center, the expertise of GE’s global IT and commercial software teams, and the industrial security strength of Wurldtech. The new business will be led by Bill Ruh, chief digital officer.

Ruh has been leading GE’s Software Center of Excellence since 2011. Under his direction, GE has grown to over 1,200 software experts at the Software Center in San Ramon, Calif.

 “As GE transforms itself to become the world’s premier digital industrial company, this will provide GE’s customers with the best industrial solutions and the software needed to solve real world problems. It will make GE a digital show site and grow our software and analytics enterprise from $6B in 2015 to a top 10 software company by 2020,” said Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE.

“With this alignment – backed by sustained investment – we will accelerate our efforts to build GE’s digital strength and win in the Industrial Internet. We are building the playbook for the new digital industrial world by harnessing our horizontal capabilities including Predix, software design, fulfillment and product management, while also executing critical outcomes for our customers. This is the strength of GE.”