John Hennessy
President Emeritus of Stanford University, Chairman of Alphabet Inc.
Biography
John L. Hennessy is an American computer scientist, academic leader, and business executive celebrated for pioneering RISC architecture. He co-founded MIPS Computer Systems and served as the 10th president of Stanford University from 2000 to 2016, later founding the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program to support global graduate leaders. In 2017, he shared the Turing Award with
David Patterson for their groundbreaking RISC work. Hennessy also received the Robert N. Noyce Award, the semiconductor industry’s highest honor, for contributions to microelectronics. Since
2018, he has served as chairman of Alphabet Inc., guiding innovation and research. His career blends visionary scholarship, leadership, and commitment to shaping the future of technology
worldwide.