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Francis deSouza

Also Known As Francis Aurelio deSouza, DeSouza

CEO of Illumina

Francis deSouza's profile picture

Francis Aurelio deSouza is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Illumina, Inc.(ILMN)

and a member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company.

Before Illumina, deSouza was president of products and services at Symantec. He joined Symantec in 2006 when Symantec acquired IMlogic, where deSouza was founder and CEO. 

Prior to IMlogic, deSouza worked at Microsoft from 1998 to 2001 after Microsoft acquired Flash Communications, where deSouza was co-founder and CEO.

Early in his career, he worked at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center and then in management consulting.[non-primary source needed] DeSouza co-founded and served as CEO of Flash Communications, a provider of corporate instant messaging that was acquired by Microsoft in 1998.

DeSouza became president and chief executive officer of Illumina on July 5, 2016, and has served on Illumina's board of directors since November 2013. Prior to becoming president and CEO in July 2016, he served as President of Illumina from November 2013 to July 2016. He was responsible for Illumina's business units and for developing, marketing, selling and supporting the company's products. DeSouza joined Illumina in November 2013.

Early Life

Francis Aurelio deSouza born December 2, 1970 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Elpinki, an Ethiopian/Greek mother, and Domingos, an Indian father. He was the second of five children. His mother was a homemaker and his father was a commercial representative for Japanese trading company Itochu. Before he was 5, his family moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In 1987, at age 16, he graduated from St. Mary's Catholic High School, Dubai, UAE and was admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He graduated Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Xi from MIT in 1992 with Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and computer science and a minor in economics.

During the divorce proceedings of Mr. deSouza and his wife Erica, the division of their crypto assets became a subject of dispute, drawing attention to how Cryptocurrency assets are treated in cases of divorce.

Education

  • Graduated - St. Mary's Catholic High School, Dubai
  • UAE - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Graduated Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Xi from MIT -
  • Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees - electrical engineering -
  • computer science and a minor in economics -

Career

  • Illumina - CEO
  • Illumina - President

Recognition

Top CEOs 2019 on Glassdoor

Top CEOs 2018 on Glassdoor

Top Businesspersons of the Year #10 on Fortune's global list of (2018)

40 under 40 - Silicon Valley Business Journal (2007)

Reference