Asia's Quantum Race: Who's Buying and Why | Rizwan Hussain, IBM (Ep. 18)

Send us Fan Mail Blond & Quantum Episode 18: Asia's quantum race: who's buying and why | Rizwan Hussain, Head of Quantum Sales, Asia Pacific & Japan at IBM There is no chief quantum officer yet. So who actually signs off on a quantum deal? According to Rizwan Hussain, it happens at the very top: the CEO and chief strategy officer in a company, the chancellor at a university, sometimes the prime minister of a country. Rizwan leads quantum sales for IBM across Asia Pacific and Japan and is an IBM Quantum Distinguished Ambassador. After 21 years at IBM, helping build its Smarter Cities business and now its quantum business in the region, he spends his days in boardrooms and government offices explaining why quantum matters now. He also teaches the Quantum Opportunities Sprint, an executive program with the University of Sydney, and he has finished the Ultraman three times. What we cover: Why executives worry less about ROI than about a missed market opportunity Who makes the decision, and why there is no chief quantum officer yet Which industries are moving first, globally and in Asia Pacific Why Japan leads the region, and how South Korea, India, Singapore and Australia follow Sovereign quantum: strategic need or glitz and glamour? On-premise vs. cloud, and why RIKEN wanted a quantum system next to Fugaku What quantum advantage means, and IBM's commitment to demonstrate it in 2026 IBM's $10 billion investment and the road to fault tolerance by 2029 Quantum and AI: competing for budget, or complementary? Why it matters: most conversations about quantum start with the physics. This one starts with the buyer. If you lead a business, advise a government or invest in this market, Rizwan's view of who is buying, what they want the system for and where the money is going is a practical map of how quantum is being adopted today. He is also candid about what isn't there yet, including use cases in agriculture and the brain drain from Australia. Blond & Quantum is hosted by Eva Galant. Each episode features a leader from the quantum ecosystem — researchers, founders, and investors — for a laid-back conversation about how quantum technology is shaping the world without the equations. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show