The global head of Google’s laptop, tablet, and education device business isn’t from Silicon Valley. His journey to the pinnacle of the tech world began on a citrus farm on the outskirts of Mbombela, where the lessons learned among the orchards would one day help shape the future of computing.
John Solomon, Google’s Vice President for ChromeOS and education, is the South African-born executive behind the rise of the Chromebook. His story is a unique blend of agricultural ingenuity, a restless passion for technology, and a distinctly South African “disregard for the status quo.”
A Foundation of Innovation on a Lowveld Farm
Solomon was raised as one of five siblings on Crocodile Valley Estates, a farm run by his father, Dennis Ivor Solomon, a visionary agriculturalist. His father, a Wits-trained engineer, revolutionized the industry by implementing a world-first bulk-handling system for citrus. This early exposure to innovative problem-solving left a deep mark.
“I grew up with the view that you can make the world better, but you need to have a long-term view, and you need to have patience,” Solomon once reflected. This philosophy, forged on the family farm, would later align perfectly with Google’s culture of ambitious, long-term projects.
The Pull of Technology and a Fateful Return
After earning an industrial engineering degree at Stellenbosch University, Solomon’s path led him to an MBA in Seattle, where his interest in the burgeoning tech scene ignited. He built a formidable career at HP, rising through the ranks over 14 years.
But the farm called him back. In 1996, he returned to South Africa to work in the family business. While he valued the experience, he felt the pull of the tech world, fearing the “tech lords” wouldn’t take him back if he stayed away too long. After three years, he returned to the US and HP, eventually landing senior executive roles that set the stage for his biggest move.
Leading the Chromebook Revolution at Google
Solomon joined Google in 2018, and his impact was swift. Under his leadership, Chromebook sales famously surpassed Apple Mac sales in 2020, driven by a global surge in demand for affordable, cloud-based devices for remote work and learning. He successfully positioned Google as a dominant force in the education technology market.
His current focus is on the next frontier: infusing Google’s laptops with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI). This drive recently culminated in the landmark decision to merge ChromeOS and Android into a single, unified platform for future devices.
From the soil of Mpumalanga to the server farms of Google, John Solomon’s journey demonstrates how a foundation built on practical innovation and a willingness to challenge convention can become a powerful recipe for global success in the digital age.
