Brad Smith

Brad Smith is perhaps best known for his work as President of Microsoft, alongside a concurrent role as Chief Legal Officer, but he has served as General Counsel since 2002 and led the company through the tenure of three CEOs. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Brad Smith has seen it all. As General Counsel, Brad has championed diversity within the firm, successfully pushing the executive level to refuse bonuses unless the firm met annual diversity goals. Under Brad’s guidance, the company, perhaps the most venerable in Big Tech, has advocated for nuanced action on facial recognition since 2018, before the current reckoning over the use of that technology in the law enforcement space. His book Tools and Weapons is a guide to the ethical use of technology, from digital privacy and surveillance to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence – fields where Brad Smith has been a pioneer and leader.