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CEO, IonQ Italia
Global Head of Special Projects, IonQ
Marco Pistoia, Ph.D., is a global leader in quantum technologies and the Chief Executive Officer of IonQ Italia, the Italian subsidiary of IonQ—the world’s largest pure-play quantum company and the only integrated platform spanning quantum computing, quantum networking, quantum security, and quantum sensing. He also serves as IonQ’s Global Head of Special Projects, a strategic division reporting directly to the CEO and dedicated to high-impact initiatives such as quantum computing for finance and advanced Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) solutions.
At IonQ, Dr. Pistoia is spearheading an ambitious vision: building Italy into a European powerhouse for quantum innovation, anchored in world-class R&D, deep collaboration with industry and government, and the development of next-generation technologies that will reshape secure communications, intelligent systems, and computational science. His mandate is both technological and national—advancing IonQ’s global platform while catalyzing Italy’s leadership in the emerging quantum economy.
A Global Technology Executive and Scientific Visionary
A Global Technology Executive and Scientific Visionary
Before joining IonQ, Dr. Pistoia served as Managing Director, Distinguished Engineer, Head of Global Technology Applied Research, and Global Head of Quantum Computing at JPMorgan Chase & Co. There, he assembled one of the world’s most advanced industrial quantum teams and led groundbreaking research programs across quantum algorithms, optimization, AI/ML, Monte Carlo methods, anomaly detection, and quantum-enhanced security.
He was the Principal Investigator of Certified Randomness Using a Trapped-Ion Quantum Processor, the first real-world quantum application proven to surpass the capabilities of any classical computer. This landmark achievement was published in Nature in April 2025 with him listed as the Principal Investigator and Corresponding Author, and is considered a milestone in the transition from theoretical quantum advantage to practical quantum utility.
In quantum security, Dr. Pistoia directed multiple first-in-industry achievements, including an 800 Gbps QKD-secured connection over 100 km and the deployment of a high-speed, crypto-agile quantum-secured network across JPMorganChase data centers. His work pioneered strategies that integrate Post-Quantum Cryptography with QKD to defend against Harvest-Now-Decrypt-Later threats—setting new standards for next-generation cybersecurity architectures.
In 2025, both The Quantum Insider and Evident ranked JPMorganChase as the global leader in financial-sector quantum technology. In particular, Evident named Dr. Pistoia the No. 1 Quantum VIP in finance, recognizing him as a visionary for assembling and directing banking’s largest quantum team.
Prior to JPMorganChase, Dr. Pistoia spent 24 years at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he rose to be Senior Manager, Distinguished Research Staff Member, Master Inventor, and the Global Head Quantum Algorithms and Applications.
A Prolific Inventor and Architect of Quantum Innovation
A Prolific Inventor and Architect of Quantum Innovation
Recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as the 248th most prolific American inventor of all time, Dr. Pistoia holds over 700 patents, including over 100 in quantum computing, quantum communications, and quantum-inspired algorithms.
His contributions span the continuum from theoretical breakthroughs to deployable technologies—bridging academic research, engineered systems, and commercial adoption.
Publications, Lectures, and Thought Leadership
Publications, Lectures, and Thought Leadership
Dr. Pistoia is the lead author of nine books, including Enterprise Java Security and Java 2 Network Security, and a coauthor of Learn Quantum Computation using Qiskit. His code has been part of the Java SDK documentation since 1999 and has shipped on tens of millions of machines worldwide.
His research has been published in the world’s leading scientific journals—including Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Reviews Physics, Nature Partner Journals (npj) Quantum Information, and Science Advances—and presented at premier conferences such as QIP, QTML, IEEE QCE, NeurIPS, PLDI, and the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy.
He has delivered invited lectures at globally renowned institutions including Harvard, MIT, the University of Chicago, École Normale Supérieure, ETH Zürich, Tohoku University, The Royal Society of London, Technion, Chalmers University, the University of Melbourne, and DTU.
Advisory Boards and Global Influence
Advisory Boards and Global Influence
Dr. Pistoia advises leading government and scientific organizations worldwide, including:
U.S. Department of Energy Quantum Science Center (Industry Advisory Council)
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) International Technical Advisory Panel
World Economic Forum, Quantum Applications Hub
Q-NEXT, a DOE national quantum communications consortium
He is also General Chair, Program Chair, and long-standing committee member for the IEEE Workshop on Quantum Algorithms for Financial Applications.
Recognition and Awards
Recognition and Awards
His career includes numerous prestigious honors, including:
Two IBM Corporate Awards, the company’s highest technical honor—received in the same year, an unprecedented accomplishment
Five ACM/IEEE Distinguished Paper Awards
The HPCwire People to Watch 2023 distinction
The Instinet Positive Change: Visionary Markets Choice Award
Recognition by La Repubblica as one of Italy’s leading innovators
Selection by the Italian Ministry of Education and Confindustria as one of the 70 most successful Italian mathematicians of his generation
Education and Citizenship
Education and Citizenship
Dr. Pistoia earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from New York University in 2005. He holds dual American and Italian citizenship.
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