Blackline Safety Corp. has appointed Vasi Philomin, executive vice president of data and AI at Siemens, to its board of directors effective Sept. 11.
Philomin previously served as vice president and general manager of generative AI for Amazon. The Calgary-based connected safety technology company announced the appointment Sept. 9.
The new director will support advancement of Blackline’s artificial intelligence strategy to unlock value from real-time safety and productivity data, according to the company.
“Vasi’s leadership at the intersection of AI, cloud, and industrial technology is uniquely aligned with Blackline’s mission to transform safety through connectivity and data-driven intelligence,” said Cody Slater, CEO and chair of Blackline Safety.
AI and industrial technology background
Philomin brings experience in industrial AI and Internet of Things platforms, with a track record of commercializing innovations at global scale, according to Blackline Safety.
At Siemens, Philomin leads data and AI development across industrial applications. Previously at Amazon, he led the creation of Amazon Bedrock, a platform that enables enterprises to build and scale generative AI applications, the company said.
Philomin also helped lead Amazon Web Services’ generative AI and product strategy efforts, including development and deployment of foundation models, according to Blackline.
Before Amazon, Philomin worked on connected lighting solutions at Philips for municipalities and landmarks including the Empire State Building and Bay Bridge. He holds more than 100 U.S. patents, the company said.
Strategic focus on AI advancement
Philomin said his appointment will help advance Blackline’s data capabilities. “Blackline’s leadership in IoT-enabled safety — giving organizations the data they need to make better decisions — is truly inspiring,” he said.
Slater said Philomin’s insights into AI and success in scaling hardware-enabled software-as-a-service businesses will bring expertise as Blackline advances predictive safety and real-time situational awareness services.
Company profile
Blackline Safety provides wearable devices, gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to customers in more than 75 countries. The company says it has reported over 286 billion data points and initiated over eight million emergency alerts.
Philomin holds a Ph.D. in computer science and dual master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and computer science from the University of Maryland.
