When you’re swamped with everyday work, it gets hard to keep up with industry news, be on a stakeout for emerging trends, and actively network at the same time. In the vast ocean of social media, you might lose track of what and who to follow in order to stay on top. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered. Twitter, with its ever-growing user base and 500 million tweets posted per day, is one of the best platforms to help you monitor trends and novelties. But in order to unleash its full informative potential, you first have to follow the right people. We’ve compiled a list of 10 CTOs you must follow to fill your feed with relevant information and valuable content, diversify your network, and maybe get a laugh or two in the process.
1. Greg Brockman, Chairman and CTO at OpenAI
Greg Brockman has been the CTO of OpenAI, a company devoted to building safe and beneficial AGI (artificial general intelligence), since 2015.
That’s hardly his first gig as CTO. Before diving into the world of AI, he served as the CTO of Stripe, a software platform for making and receiving payments online.
He is very active on Twitter, and we recommend his profile to anyone interested in Artificial Intelligence.
You can also follow Greg’s blog, where he publishes more in-depth articles about his company, OpenAI.
Worth following if you’re interested in: artificial intelligence, robotics, Microsoft
2. Danielle Merfeld, VP and CTO at GE Renewable Energy
Danielle Merfeld has been the CTO of GE Renewable Energy since 2017, but her journey with GE started in 2007, when she joined the company as Solar Platform Leader.
Danielle’s main job is bringing innovative solutions to the Renewable Energy sector. She’s also a co-leader of GE’s Women’s network, striving to empower women in the workplace.
Her Twitter activity will definitely keep you up to date with news concerning clean energy.
After you click the Follow button on Twitter, make sure to check out her LinkedIn profile.
Worth following if you’re interested in: renewable energy, climate, women in STEM
3. David Talby, CTO at Pacific AI
https://twitter.com/davidtalby
David Talby works as the CTO at Pacific AI, an outsourcing company for AI-powered products, services, and teams. The former CTO of Atigeo, he has companies like Amazon and Microsoft in his resume.
David is a true thought leader in the fields of large-scale distributed systems, machine learning, natural language processing, and Agile methods. He delivers talks and publishes a lot of articles in cooperation with O’Reilly.
Follow his Twitter account to get to know what’s new in the world of AI.
Make sure to also visit David’s LinkedIn and his official page.
Worth following if you’re interested in: artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing
4. David Schwartz, CTO at Ripple
As the technological leader of a company that allows people to send money globally using blockchain, David is an expert in cryptography and cryptocurrency, and he avidly shares his knowledge with the world.
David has a prominent Internet presence. His Twitter remains active at all times and he recently did a Q&A session on Quora, so follow him to make sure you won’t miss the forthcoming contact opportunities.
David also runs a blog, where you can read more of his thoughts and musings.
Worth following if you’re interested in: blockchain, cryptography, cryptocurrencies
5. Yvette Pasqua, CTO at Meetup
Yvette Pasqua serves as the CTO at Meetup, a service for organizing real-life meetings of groups of people sharing similar interests. She manages product, platform, and data engineering.
Her other professional activities include working as an advisor at Chloe Capital, which aims to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital.
Yvette avidly shares her knowledge with the outside world and often gives talks. As an experienced manager, she has a lot of expertise in team leading and networking.
Make sure to also follow her on LinkedIn.
Worth following if you’re interested in: data engineering, effective management strategies, networking
6. David Heinemeier Hansson, founder & CTO at Basecamp, creator of Ruby on Rails
Also known as DHH, David is a co-head of Basecamp, a service that helps organize and manage communication in growing businesses.
However, that’s not the end of it. David is a jack of all trades: the creator of Ruby on Rails, New York Times best-selling author (have you heard of “Remote” or “Rework”?), and… an accomplished racing driver!
An influential and widely regarded specialist in multiple fields, David is an active Twitter user and often shares his original articles.
Make sure to check out his original site and click Follow on Twitter for a solid portion of knowledge and inspiration.
Worth following if you’re interested in: Ruby on Rails, effective management strategies
7. Mark Russinovich, CTO at Microsoft Azure
https://twitter.com/markrussinovich
Mark Russinovich has been the CTO at Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing service, since 2014, but his presence at the company dates back to 2006.
That’s hardly his only area of expertise. Apart from being the author of Sysinternals Windows administration and diagnostic tools, he writes fiction and non-fiction books.
Following Mark will keep you up to date with everything happening at Microsoft.
Make sure to check out his LinkedIn, too.
Worth following if you’re interested in: Microsoft, cloud computing
8. Shane Wall, CTO at HP and Global Head of HP Labs
https://twitter.com/ShaneWallCTO
Shane Wall has been serving in the role of CTO at HP since 2012, supervising the company’s strategic vision and fueling innovation.
His other activities include being on the board of Seven Peaks Venture and Friends of the Children nonprofit. He also spent over 10 years as the Vice President of Intel.
Shane is constantly on the lookout for innovation and effective leadership strategies. Follow his Twitter to find out more about 3D printing, cybersecurity, and drones.
You can also check out his LinkedIn and official site.
Worth following if you’re interested in: HP, leadership strategies, 3D printing, cybersecurity
9. Marcus East, member of the Office of the CTO at Google
https://twitter.com/marcuseast
Marcus East might be new as a CTO at Google, where he works with big clients to help them take full advantage of Google Cloud, but he’s hardly new to the role. He previously served as the CTO at National Geographic and the renowned Comic Relief charity.
His impressive resume also includes companies like Apple, Marks and Spencer, or IBM. On top of it all, he is a board member of XYO, a blockchain-based location network, and has a book on the way.
Experienced in a broad spectrum of industries, Marcus keeps his Twitter active with a variety of content, including updates from his career, tech scoops, and sports. Make sure to click Follow and accompany him on his newest Google journey!
Marcus is present on LinkedIn. You can also check out his inspiring website to read his blog posts or listen to his talks.
Worth following if you’re interested in: Google, cloud computing, blockchain
10. Susie Wee, CTO at Cisco DevNet
As the CTO at Cisco DevNet, a program she founded herself, Susie Wee brings innovation and resources to developers and IT professionals with the use of Cisco’s platforms and API.
She’s been holding Chief positions at Cisco’s different departments since 2011, after having spent 14 years working for Hewlett-Packard.
Susie’s Twitter account will allow you to take a glance at the vital moments of her inspiring career.
After following her on Twitter, be sure to visit her LinkedIn and personal website.
Worth following if you’re interested in: software development, effective networking, UX
Final thoughts
This is the end of our list of top 10 CTOs to follow, but only the beginning of your new Twitter journey. As the tech world keeps bursting with innovations and follow-worthy experts keep appearing, you are bound to expand your contact list in no time after you get started.
Is there a CTO we missed whose Twitter presence should not be overlooked? Let us know in the comments and we’ll make sure to expand this list.
And if you’re looking for more must-follow lists to help you choose the right content to track and save yourself some time, why don’t you check out our other similar articles:
