THE AUTHORS

Elizabeth J. Altman

Meet Elizabeth

Liz Altman is Vice President of Strategy and Business Development in Motorola's Mobile Devices business.  In this role, she leads a team responsible for developing and executing business strategy and managing relationships with key partner companies for a multi-billion dollar consumer products division.

Liz began her career at Motorola in 1992 as a staff mechanical engineer after earning dual graduate degrees in mechanical engineering and management as a fellow in MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing Program. In 1994, she was awarded a U.S. Department of Commerce and Japanese government manufacturing technology fellowship and spent a year working on an engineering team at a Sony camcorder factory in Japan. Over her 15 years at Motorola, Liz has held roles in industrial design, product development engineering, manufacturing, and marketing.  Her main areas of expertise relate to innovation strategy, business development, M&A, equity investing, developing and managing strategic alliances and technology licensing.

Liz has served on the Board of Directors of the Japan Society of Boston and is an Advisor to the FutureForward Conference, an annual summit focusing on technology and business in New England.

Liz earned her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Cornell University and was recently elected by the Cornell University alumni body to serve a four-year term on the Cornell Board of Trustees beginning July 1, 2008.  She also serves on the Cornell College of Engineering Advisory Council, and the President’s Council of Cornell Women.  She guest lectures regularly at both Cornell and M.I.T.

Liz is a co-author of the forthcoming book The Innovator’s Guide to Growth: Putting Disruptive Innovation to Work (Harvard Business Press, June 2008).  Liz was featured in Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas’ book on leadership entitled Geeks and Geezers: How Era, Values and Defining Moments Shape Leaders.  She was selected by Boston Magazine in 2003 as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Women in Boston,” and was honored in the “Boston Business Journal” as one of Boston’s “40 Under 40” top business and community leaders.