Cognex CEO and leadership

Robert Willett has been the Chief Executive Officer of Cognex since 2011. He is responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s strategy and operations. Cognex, a Nasdaq-listed company, is the world leader in the field of industrial machine vision: technology that allows computers to see and which is used in the field of advanced factory automation and robotics to manufacture smart phones, automobiles and medical devices, as well as in logistics for ecommerce fulfillment. Cognex is a technology and growth company with 2,000 employees (who proudly call themselves “Cognoids”) and over $700M in revenue.

Robert’s career has focused on growth through innovation, acquisition and global expansion. He has taken two companies through their transition from founder-led businesses to global scale and marketshare leadership. He credits his success to a: strategic focus on critical growth and margin levers; promotion of a work hard, play hard, move fast entrepreneurial culture; experience and success in acquiring and integrating twenty companies and, attention to process improvement.

Robert "Bob" Shillman (born April 6, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States) is founder, chairman and CCO (Chief Culture Officer) of Cognex Corporation. Cognex is a provider of machine vision systems, sensors, and industrial ID readers used in automated manufacturing. Shillman holds a B.S.E.E. from Northeastern University as well as an M.S.E.E. and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Finance and strategy executive and former management consultant with expertise in retail, apparel (including off-price), consumer goods and technology. Lead or have led teams across corporate strategy (portfolio management, long-range planning, organizational effectiveness and cost reduction), corporate development (due diligence, post-merger integration), brand strategy (pricing, category growth strategies, developing new businesses), Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), treasury, supply chain finance, distribution finance, brand finance and consumer research / marketplace insights.

Theodor Krantz, MBA is a Chief Financial Officer & Vice President at COGNEX CORP. He studied at Princeton University and Harvard University.

Robert "Bob" Shillman (born April 6, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States) is founder, chairman and CCO (Chief Culture Officer) of Cognex Corporation. Cognex is a provider of machine vision systems, sensors, and industrial ID readers used in automated manufacturing. Shillman holds a B.S.E.E. from Northeastern University as well as an M.S.E.E. and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Robert Willett has been the Chief Executive Officer of Cognex since 2011. He is responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s strategy and operations. Cognex, a Nasdaq-listed company, is the world leader in the field of industrial machine vision: technology that allows computers to see and which is used in the field of advanced factory automation and robotics to manufacture smart phones, automobiles and medical devices, as well as in logistics for ecommerce fulfillment. Cognex is a technology and growth company with 2,000 employees (who proudly call themselves “Cognoids”) and over $700M in revenue.

Robert’s career has focused on growth through innovation, acquisition and global expansion. He has taken two companies through their transition from founder-led businesses to global scale and marketshare leadership. He credits his success to a: strategic focus on critical growth and margin levers; promotion of a work hard, play hard, move fast entrepreneurial culture; experience and success in acquiring and integrating twenty companies and, attention to process improvement.

Robert "Bob" Shillman (born April 6, 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States) is founder, chairman and CCO (Chief Culture Officer) of Cognex Corporation. Cognex is a provider of machine vision systems, sensors, and industrial ID readers used in automated manufacturing. Shillman holds a B.S.E.E. from Northeastern University as well as an M.S.E.E. and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Theodor Krantz, MBA is a Chief Financial Officer & Vice President at COGNEX CORP. He studied at Princeton University and Harvard University.