Sohaib Abbasi

{{Infobox person

| name = Sohaib Abbasi

| image = Sohaib Abbasi IW2012.JPG

| alt =

| caption = Sohaib Abbasi Keynote session at Informatica World 2012

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|08|14}}

| birth_place = Lahore, Pakistan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality =

| alma_mater =University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

| other_names =

| occupation = Chairman of Informatica

| years_active = 1980-current

| known_for = CEO of Informatica
SVP, Tools Product Division of Oracle

| spouse = Sara Abbasi

| notable_works =

}}

Sohaib Abbasi (born August 14, 1956) is a Pakistani–American business executive, computer scientist and philanthropist. He is the former chairman and chief executive of Informatica, having served in the roles from 2004 until 2015.{{cite web | url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/08/06/informatica-completes-5-3b-deal-to-go-private-ceo-sohaib-abbasi-steps-down-microsoft-and-salesforce-ventures-invest/ | title=Informatica completes $5.3B deal to go private; CEO Sohaib Abbasi Steps Down; Microsoft and Salseforce Ventures Invest | publisher=Venture Beat | date=6 August 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Novet, Jordan}}{{cite web | url=http://blogs.informatica.com/2015/12/14/sohaib-abbasis-tribute-to-the-world-class-informatica-team-current-and-former-members/#fbid=z25nb0aJAJR | title=Sohaib Abbasi's Tribute to the World-Class Informatica Team -Current and Former Members | publisher=Informatica | date=14 December 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.nasdaq.com/markets/spos/filing.ashx?filingid=2877468 | title=SEC Form S-3 | publisher=Nasdaq | date=9 July 2004 | access-date=4 January 2016}}

He was also a member of the executive committee of Oracle Corporation and led Oracle Tools and Oracle Education as senior vice president.{{cite web | url=http://engineering.illinois.edu/engage/distinguished-alumni-and-friends/hall-of-fame/2012/sohaib-abbasi | title=Hall of Fame: Sohaib Abbasi | publisher=University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=87427&privcapId=139834963 | title=Executive Profile:Sohaib Abbasi | magazine=Bloomberg Business | access-date=4 January 2016}} He retired from these roles in 2003 after 20 years with the company.

Abbasi joined the board of directors for the software company, Red Hat Inc. in 2011.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M8G6BO0.htm | title=Red Hat Names Informatica CEO, Professor to Board | magazine=Bloomberg Business | date=28 March 2011 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In May 2016, Abbasi joined the board of directors for the San Francisco-based analytics company, New Relic.{{cite news|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/relic-appoints-sohaib-abbasi-james-105500756.html|title=New Relic Appoints Sohaib Abbasi and James Tolonen to Its Board of Directors|work=Yahoo! Finance|date=May 4, 2016|access-date=January 25, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202084424/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/relic-appoints-sohaib-abbasi-james-105500756.html|archive-date=February 2, 2017}} And in August 2017, Abbasi joined the board of directors for San Francisco-based StreamSets, Inc.,{{cite news|url=https://streamsets.com/about-us/press-releases/streamsets-appoints-ex-ceo-informatica-sohaib-abbasi-board-directors/|title= StreamSets Appoints Ex-CEO of Informatica Sohaib Abbasi to its Board of Directors }} a DataOps company.

Early life and education

Abbasi was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1956 and moved to various cities with his father, an air force official, before reaching the United States in 1974 to attend college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.{{cite news | url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14222658?source=infinite-up | title= Mercury News Interview:Sohaib Abbasi of Informatica | newspaper=Mercury News | date=22 January 2010 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Bailey, Brandon}} Abbasi graduated with honors and obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science in 1978. He later earned his master's degree in the same field in 1980.{{cite web | url=https://www.google.com/finance/?cid=663167 | title=Informatica | publisher=Nasdaq | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite news | title=Sohaib Abbasi, 2012 College of Engineering Commencement Address | publisher=Engineering Illinois | date=1 June 2012 | access-date=4 January 2016|url=http://engineering.illinois.edu/news/article/2012-05-21-abassi-addresses-class-2012}}

Career

= Early career =

Abbasi began his professional career as a product manager for Professional Computer Resources in 1980. He developed financial modeling software and ERP applications there before launching his own company, Outlook Software, Inc.{{cite web | url=http://www.wrmea.org/2001-january-february/international-action-center-observers-describe-situation-in-palestine.html | title=International Action Center Observers Describe Situation in Palestine | publisher=Southern California Chronicle | date=February 2001 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/04/18/informatica-integrator-abbasi-cz_eb_0418abbasi.html | title=Informatica's Chief Integrator | magazine=Forbes | date=18 March 2006 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Brown, Erika}}

= Oracle =

Abbasi joined Oracle while the company was a startup in 1982, as the manager of Midwestern Sales.{{cite journal | title=A Singular Focus | publisher=DM Review | date=2005 | volume=15 | issue=9 | pages=20–22 | author=Schauer, Jean}}{{cite news | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2011/03/25/informatica-rises-with-data.html | title=Informatica Rises With Data | newspaper=San Francisco Business Times | date=25 March 2011 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Hoge, Patrick}} He became manager of user interface development in 1984 where he was director of Oracle's first application programming tool, SQL*Forms.{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dOj3NVmtlJQC&q=sohaib+abbasi+in+books&pg=PA38 | title=Users Praise Oracle's Order-Form Software | work=Computerworld | date=29 October 1990 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Bozman, Jean | pages=38}} The software was first introduced in 1985 and was used by over 90 percent of all Oracle DBMS shops by 1990.

Abbasi managed the software tools division at Oracle, which includes application development tools, business intelligence tools, e-business portal tools and pharmaceutical and Internet learning applications.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/2682209/applications/oracle-tools-vice-president-to-retire.html | title=Oracle tools vice president to retire | magazine=InfoWorld | date=20 February 2003 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Evers, Joris}}{{cite news | url=http://muslimobserver.com/sohaib-abbasi-a-role-model-to-emulate/ | title=Sohaib Abbasi- A Role Model to Emulate | newspaper=Muslim Observer | date=22 January 2009 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Khan, Avub}} By 1989, he was named the vice-president of Tools and Multi-media for the company.{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_-v0HtsudNcC&q=sohaib+abbasi&pg=PA14 | title=Oracle Tools Stress Interface Portability | magazine=Computerworld | date=30 October 1989 | author=Pastore, Richard | page=14 | volume=23 | issue=44}} Abbasi was promoted further in 1994 to senior vice-president of Tools Product Division.{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DBaA0pFpw9kC&q=sohaib+abbasi&pg=PT15 | title=DBMS Fix | magazine=Computerworld | author=Richman, Dan | date= 27 November 1995 | volume=29 | issue=48 | page=1,16}} From 2001 until his retirement from the company in 2003, Abbasi held the role of senior vice president in both the Tools and Education divisions.{{cite web | url=http://executives.findthecompany.com/l/30761/Mr-Sohaib-Abbasi | title=Sohaib Abbasi Executive Profile | publisher=Find The Company | access-date=4 January 2016}}

He retired from Oracle in 2003 after 20 years.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/10/14/informatica-abbasi-database-intelligent-technology-confrontation.html | title=Ten Minutes That Mattered: Sohaib Abbasi | magazine=Forbes | date=14 October 2009 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Greenberg, Andy}}{{cite journal | title=Focused On a Vision | publisher=Smart Business Northern California | author=O'Hara, Kristy | volume=3 | issue=3 | pages=10–13 | date=2010}}

= Informatica =

In 2004, Abbasi joined the software company, Informatica, as chief executive officer. Before Abbasi joined the company it had reported negative product license growth in 10 of the prior 12 quarters. Under his leadership, Informatica streamlined its operations by cutting its analytic application software development and focusing on the data warehousing component of its business.{{cite web | url=http://chiefexecutive.net/doubling-down-on-data/ | title=Doubling Down on Data | publisher=Chief Executive Magazine | date=20 November 2009 | access-date=4 January 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118211911/http://chiefexecutive.net/doubling-down-on-data | archive-date=18 November 2012 }} The decision was controversial at the time with resistance among employees and on the board,{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/09/16/informatica-enterprise-leadership-intelligent-technology-abbasi.html | title=The Big Deal: Informatica's Sohaib Abbasi | magazine=Forbes | date=16 September 2009 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Greenberg, Andy}} but Abbasi refocused the company on a narrower set of products. Abbasi led the company through the recession,{{cite web | url=http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/awards/403_2634_20573.cfm | title=Stevie Award Nomination of Sohaib Abbasi | publisher=The American Business Awards | access-date=4 January 2016}} with the company's growth allowing hiring and expansion to continue through the recession. In 2010, Informatica reached a revenue of $650 million.

In 2014, after ten years of Abbasi's leadership, Informatica reached $1 billion in sales.{{cite news | url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/informatica-ceo-abbasi-on-data-scale-leadership-and-innovation/ | title=Informatica CEO Abbasi On Data, Scale, Leadership and Innovation | work=ZDNet | date=11 August 2014 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Digna, Larry}} In April 2015, Informatica announced that shareholders had approved the acquisition by Permira funds and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $5.3 billion or roughly $48 a share.{{cite web | url=http://www.vcpost.com/articles/83541/20150810/informatica-closes-deal-go-private-microsoft-salesforce-strategic-investors.htm | title=Informatica Closes Deal To Go Private; Microsoft and Salesforce Are Strategic Investors | publisher=Venture Capital Post | date=10 August 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/08/06/microsoft-and-salesforce-join-in-5-3-billion-buyout-of-informatica/ | title=Microsoft and Salesforce Join In $5.3 Billion Buyout of Informatica | magazine=Forbes | date=6 August 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Konrad, Alex}}{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/permira-cppib-poised-to-take-informatica-private-in-5-billion-deal-1428398039 | title=Informatica Taken Private in $5.3 Billion Deal | newspaper=Wall Street Journal | date=7 April 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author1=Tan, Gillian | author2=Cimilluca, Dana}} After the deal was completed, Abbasi stepped down as CEO and remained with the company as chairman.{{cite web | url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/informatica-reports-third-quarter-revenues-of-524-million-74409187.html | title=Informatica Reports Third Quarter Revenues of $52.4 Million | publisher=Informatica | date=19 October 2004 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.getfilings.com/o0000891618-05-000202.html | title=Form 10-K SEC Filing | publisher=Informatica | date=2004 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=https://www.last10k.com/sec-filings/INFA/0001080099-15-000006.htm | title=Form 10-K SEC Filing | publisher= Informatica | date=26 February 2015 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.sbnonline.com/article/sohaib-abbasi-doubled-informatica-x2019-s-revenues-in-five-years-how-to-create-a-vision-and-strategy-to-grow-your-business/?all=1 | title=Sohaib Abbasi doubled Informatica's revenues in five years | date=26 September 2010 | publisher=Smart Business | access-date=4 January 2016}}

Philanthropy

In 2003, Abbasi and his wife, Sara, created a $2.5 million endowment for a program in Islamic studies at Stanford University.{{cite web | url=http://news.stanford.edu/pr/03/islamicpr.html | title=Abbasi family endows new Program in Islamic Studies at Stanford | publisher=Stanford | work=Stanford News Service | date=18 September 2013 | access-date=31 December 2015}} The program included graduate fellowships, research, a new library, language courses, and lectures. At the same time, Stanford alumna Lysbeth Warren made a gift of US$2 million for a new professorship on Islam. Stanford matched both gifts with a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, bringing the total endowment for the program and professorship to US$9 million.{{cite web | url=https://web.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin1112/5942.htm | title=Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies | publisher=Stanford | work=Stanford Bulletin | access-date=31 December 2015}}

The Abbasis established the Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Professorship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They also founded the Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Computer Science Fellowship to allow students, preferably from Pakistan, to attend the institution.{{cite web | url=https://cs.illinois.edu/about-us/awards/faculty-awards/chairs-professorships/sohaib-and-sara-abbasi-professorship-computer-s | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807225802/http://cs.illinois.edu/about-us/awards/faculty-awards/chairs-professorships/sohaib-and-sara-abbasi-professorship-computer-s | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 August 2013 | title=Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Professorship in Computer Science | publisher=University of Illinois | work=Computer Science at Illinois | access-date=31 December 2015 }}{{cite web | url=http://cs.illinois.edu/about-us/awards/graduate-fellowships-awards/sohaib-and-sara-abbasi-computer-science-fellowship | title=Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Computer Science Fellowship | publisher=University of Illinois | work=Computer Science at Illinois | access-date=31 December 2015}}

Abbasi also played a key role in establishing the Oracle Academic Initiative in Pakistan, which has trained hundreds of professionals.{{cite web | url=http://www.wrmea.org/2001-january-february/international-action-center-observers-describe-situation-in-palestine.html | title=International Action Center Observers Describe Situation in Palestine | publisher=Southern California Chronicle | work=Washington Report on Middle East Affairs | date=January 2001 | access-date=31 December 2015 | author=Twair, Pat and Samir | pages=59–61}}

Recognition

During his tenure with Informatica, Abbasi received several awards for his performance. Abbasi won the Chairman of the Year Award from the American Business Awards in 2010{{cite web | url=http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/awards/403_2630_20412.cfm | title=Management Categories - 2010 Honorees | publisher=The American Business Awards | date=2010 | access-date=4 January 2016}} and was ranked second by Institutional Investor's annual survey of software company CEO's in 2010 and 2011.{{cite web | url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2011/01/20/438146/211488/en/Informatica-Executives-Named-to-2011-Institutional-Investor-s-All-america-Software-Executive-Team.html | title=Informatica Executives Named to 2011 Institutional Investor's All-america Software Executive Team | publisher=Informatica | date=20 January 2011 | access-date=4 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS240562+24-Feb-2010+GNW20100224 | title=Informatica Executive Paul Hoffman Wins Stevie Award for Global Sales Leader in 2010 Sales & Customer Service Awards | publisher=Informatica | date=24 February 2010 | access-date=4 January 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305135326/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS240562+24-Feb-2010+GNW20100224 | archive-date=5 March 2016 }} In 2013, Bloomberg ranked Abbasi second on its Top 20 list of technology leaders.{{cite web | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2013-10-17/tech-s-top-turnaround-artists.html#slide20 | title=Tech's Top Turnaround Artists | publisher=Bloomberg | date=17 October 2013 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Chan, Marcus}} In 2014, according to Forbes, Abbasi was one of the top 5 best CEOs to work for in the Enterprise Software business in 2014.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2014/03/18/the-best-enterprise-software-companies-and-ceos-to-work-for-in-2014/ | title=The Best Enterprise Software Companies and CEOs to Work for in 2014 | magazine=Forbes | date=18 March 2014 | access-date=4 January 2016 | author=Columbus, Louis}}