Always fascinated by problem-solving, mathematics, and computer science, Dr. Tom Leighton never imagined becoming a CEO, let alone being in business. However, his love of research ultimately laid the groundwork for his founding of Akamai Technologies—the leading content delivery network (CDN) and cloud services provider. 

Dr. Leighton’s early career was in academics. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from MIT, he became a professor of Applied Mathematics at MIT, primarily focusing his research on algorithms and their applications to large-scale networks—an area that would later become pivotal in his business endeavors. His work earned him recognition as one of the world’s preeminent authorities on parallel algorithms and distributed computing.

The Birth of Akamai Technologies

In the mid-1990s, the burgeoning internet faced a significant challenge: the “World Wide Wait.” Websites were struggling with slow load times and unreliable performance. Alongside his MIT graduate student, Danny Lewin, Leighton embarked on a mission to solve this problem. The pair participated in the Sloan School’s business plan competition, which introduced them to the process of starting a company. Their innovative approach involved using mathematical algorithms to optimize web traffic and deliver content more efficiently.

In 1998, this groundbreaking research culminated in the founding of Akamai Technologies. The company’s name, derived from the Hawaiian word for “intelligent” or “clever,” reflects its core mission to make the internet faster and more reliable. Tragically, Lewin died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 in the 9/11 attacks, but is remembered for his pioneering contributions to internet technology. 

Rise to CEO

Although he was the technical Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Leighton did not initially assume the role of CEO. Instead, he focused on driving the company’s technological advancements while other executives handled business operations. After years of working closely with and learning a great deal from his predecessors, he took over the role of CEO.

While it’s rare for academics to go into business, much less become a CEO 14 years after starting a company, Dr. Leighton has found value in applying his research and professorial skills to the CEO role. Under Dr. Leighton’s leadership, Akamai expanded its portfolio beyond CDN services to cybersecurity, and most recently, cloud computing. Leighton’s focus on security has positioned Akamai as a leader in protecting against cyber threats, ensuring the safety and reliability of internet transactions for businesses and consumers alike.

Achievements and Impact

Under Dr. Leighton’s leadership, the company operates the world’s most distributed cloud delivery platform, making life better for billions of people trillions of times each day, over a global network that spans more than 4,000 locations around the world. 

Dr. Leighton holds more than 50 patents and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2017. He was awarded the Marconi Price in 2018. In 2023, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) awarded him the John von Neumann Medal. He is also a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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