Salesforce Snags Former Federal CIO

Salesforce.com has brought aboard former federal CIO Vivek Kundra, a longtime proponent of cloud computing, to oversee its growth in emerging markets and help build out Salesforce's social enterprise push.

Kundra left his post as the Obama administration's chief information officer in August 2011 and took a fellowship position at Harvard University. During his more than two-year stint as federal CIO, Kundra pushed the government to adopt cloud computing technologies and launched the federal cloud-first initiative under which federal agencies must consider cloud computing solutions for new technology purchases to boost efficiency and cut IT spend. As the first federal CIO, Kundra was in charge of the nation's $80 billion IT budget.

Kundra also was a driving force behind Apps.gov, a General Services Administration-managed online storefront through which government agencies could purchase cloud applications that were approved to run in secure federal environments. Apps.gov was the first major cloud-based initiative under Kundra's watch.

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Kundra also stumped for cloud standards around security, interoperability and data portability, moves aimed at helping cloud computing take hold and become a viable IT consumption vehicle for federal agencies and consumers alike.

Salesforce has tapped Kundra as its new executive vice president of emerging markets, a role in which he also will trumpet Salesforce's social enterprise, a combination of open cloud, social and mobile technologies that Salesforce has said will spark a new social revolution in business.

"Vivek Kundra is an amazing technology visionary who opened the eyes of millions to the transformational power of cloud computing," said Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff in a statement. "His disruptive leadership is just what the industry needs to accelerate the social enterprise."

Prior to becoming U.S. CIO, Kundra was CTO for the District of Columbia and was the assistant secretary of commerce and technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was selected by the World Economic Forum as a 2011 Young Global Leader and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

"Salesforce.com is an industry disruptor, helping organizations use the transformative power of technology for change," said Kundra in a statement. "I am excited to join the most innovative company in the world that is pioneering social, mobile and open cloud computing technologies for the enterprise."