The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) Commission has appointed Indian American business executive and innovation leader George D. Thomas as its next president and chief executive officer.
Thomas is set to officially assume the role from August. He succeeds outgoing FCEDA President and CEO Victor Hoskins, who is departing after nearly seven years of regional leadership.
The executive transition arrives at a pivotal moment as Fairfax County in Virginia positions itself to lead emerging tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced computing, national defense, and space commercialization.
With more than 25 years of experience spanning economic development, technology, investment attraction, and public-private partnerships, Thomas brings an extensive background in regional ecosystem growth.
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He joins the authority from Connected DMV, a regional innovation organization he has led since 2019. Under his tenure, the organization expanded from a volunteer coalition into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, establishing dedicated innovation centers and launching international platforms such as the Quantum World Congress.
“George Thomas represents the next generation of economic development leadership,” said FCEDA Commission Chair James Quigley. He appreciated Thomas’s proven ability to unite government, industry, academia, and entrepreneurs around a shared vision for market competitiveness.
Prior to his work at Connected DMV, Thomas spent two decades in leadership roles across the technology and consulting sectors. He served as a partner at IBM, directing initiatives in smart cities, technology commercialization, and supply chain reengineering.
His corporate background also includes executive roles at global infrastructure firms such as Hatch and Mott MacDonald, alongside founding the advisory firm New Urban Informatics.
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Thomas’s professional journey connects his early technical foundation in India with decades of civic and corporate leadership in the United States. The Indian American executive earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Kerala, India. He later relocated to the United States to pursue advanced studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, where he completed a master’s degree in engineering.
As an established leader within the Greater Washington metropolitan area, Thomas has built deep cross-sector relationships that align with the regional focus on federal procurement, capital markets, and commercial expansion.
“Fairfax County stands at the center of extraordinary economic and technological change,” Thomas said. He noted that breakthroughs in advanced industries create fresh opportunities for investment, adding that he looks forward to collaborating with regional partners to strengthen the innovation economy for future generations.