IBM CEO Arvind Krishna
Arvind Krishna shared his views during an interview with CNN in October 2025, explaining why he does not believe all meetings should follow the same rules on device use. “I distinguish between one-to-10-person meetings and very large meetings.
The IBM chief says the size and purpose of a meeting should determine whether using a device is acceptable. You’re just informing people,” Krishna said. “If it’s a small meeting, I would really frown upon if somebody is sitting opposite my desk and lost in their phone,” he said. “I would tell them: ‘Why don’t you come back when you have time?’” “If you have an iPad in front of me and it looks like you’re reading your email or getting notifications, I tell you to close the damn thing,” Dimon said. “It’s disrespectful.”
Should employees put away their phones and other devices during meetings? JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has made his position clear, calling the habit of checking emails and notifications disrespectful. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, however, sees things differently — at least when it comes to large meetings. face-to-face meetings, he believes large gatherings are often more about sharing information than holding a real discussion While Arvind Krishna agrees that people should pay attention during small. If it’s a very large meeting, I’m sorry. It’s not really a meeting. It’s a communication vehicle. However, Krishna made it clear that he expects people to stay focused during smaller meetings.
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