John Kahan

Vice President and Chief Data Analytics Officer Emeritus at Microsoft, Founder and President of the Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Foundation of Seattle Children’s.

John is a proven data-driven leader with nearly four decades of data science, worldwide business, and technology transformation experience across Microsoft and IBM. John’s personal mission is to open data for societal good to improve the health of people and communities worldwide.

At Microsoft, he was responsible for infusing data science and AI to address some of the world’s greatest challenges: promoting sustainable use of the planet’s resources; improving opportunities for people with disabilities; protecting human rights; strengthening humanitarian assistance; improving disaster response; addressing the needs of children, refugees and displaced people; advancing health; increasing the capabilities of NGOs; and supporting policymakers worldwide.

Since joining Microsoft in 2003, John has managed several data and analytics teams whose worked has influenced the transformation of Microsoft into a data-driven company, supporting the CEO and his leadership team. His impact spans Microsoft’s flagship products and services including Bing, Azure, Windows and Modern Life, Gaming, and Microsoft Research.

In addition to his work at Microsoft, John is the Founder and President of the Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Foundation of Seattle Children’s, and has served on boards for both for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises for over 20 years. John and his wife Heather are proud parents of four girls and two amazing grandsons. He is also an avid photographer with three published books, and loves traveling, spending time with family, and giving back.