Jean Davis

Jean Davis is a North Carolina-based strategy consultant, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, independent board member and former technology CEO. She most recently served as president and CEO of MCNC, the technology public-private partnership that builds, owns, and operates the North Carolina Research and Education High Speed Fiber Network. She joined MCNC from the N.C. Department of Commerce where she served as Assistant Secretary, COO and Executive Director of Business, Industry and Trade. Prior to Commerce, Jean was a partner at Empire Properties, the co-owner of Serentec, Inc., and held progressive international positions at IBM, Computer Digest Magazine and McGraw Hill. 

Jean’s areas of expertise include technology-led economic development, strategic planning, government innovation policy, and downtown revitalization. She remains active in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, serving on the board of First Flight Venture Center and working in board and advisory roles for scientific/ pharmaceutical start-ups.

Jean is a 2005 Eisenhower Fellow and 2009 Henry Toll Fellow. She received her undergraduate honors degree in Political Science and Business Administration at New England College in Arundel, England and her Master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston.