IonQ Appoints Dr. Marco Pistoia as CEO of IonQ Italia to Spearhead Strategic Quantum Initiatives Across the Country

Industry veteran Pistoia to drive enterprise and research engagement as IonQ deepens investment in Italy’s quantum future

COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the world’s leading quantum company, today announced the appointment of Dr. Marco Pistoia, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer of IonQ Italia S.r.l., a wholly owned subsidiary. Dr. Pistoia will lead IonQ’s strategic initiatives in Italy, building on the company’s momentum as the world’s only full-stack quantum platform provider across quantum computing, quantum networking, quantum sensing, and quantum security.

IonQ Italia will help establish Italy as a dynamic powerhouse in the global quantum landscape. Dr. Pistoia and his team will focus on expanding access to IonQ’s advanced quantum systems for Italian enterprises, research institutions, and government partners. The team will be tasked with driving innovation in quantum applications for key sectors such as finance, energy, aerospace, defense, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing.

“Italy is a strategic pillar in IonQ’s global platform strategy, and Dr. Pistoia’s appointment reflects our unwavering commitment to establishing the country as a European leader in quantum innovation,” said Niccolò de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. “Under Dr. Pistoia’s visionary leadership, IonQ will accelerate the deployment of quantum technologies that drive industrial competitiveness, enhance national security, and position Italy at the forefront of the worldwide Quantum Renaissance."

IonQ’s global expansion has been marked by accelerated demand for its quantum systems across both commercial and national infrastructure applications. IonQ Italia will contribute to this growth by supporting new job creation, as well as high-impact innovation efforts aligned with national and EU quantum strategies.

“I am deeply honored to help shape Italy’s quantum future through IonQ’s pioneering technologies,” said Dr. Marco Pistoia. “With IonQ’s world-class hardware and a rapidly expanding global ecosystem of partners, we have a historic opportunity to position Italy at the forefront of the quantum revolution—transforming industry, science, and national innovation. In addition to driving quantum computing and application expansion, I am committed to introducing IonQ’s full spectrum of quantum solutions to Italy, including quantum networking, quantum security, and quantum sensing—building the foundation for a more secure, intelligent, and technologically sovereign future.”

Dr. Pistoia will report directly to de Masi and will continue to globally lead IonQ's Special Projects group, which explores advanced quantum initiatives, including quantum financial systems, quantum-safe communications, and the integration of quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography with emerging satellite and networking technologies.

Before joining IonQ, Dr. Pistoia served as Head of Global Technology Applied Research at JPMorgan Chase in New York, where he led the firm’s quantum computing and security initiatives. He previously spent over two decades at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center where he was named a Distinguished Research Staff Member, Master Inventor, and the Head of Quantum Algorithms and Applications. Dr. Pistoia holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from New York University and is the author of more than 200 scientific publications and holds over 650 patents. In 2022, he was recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as one of the top 250 American inventors of all time.

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world’s most complex problems. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.

The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ’s advancements in quantum networking also position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

IonQ has operations in Maryland, Washington, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, United Kingdom, Toronto, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company’s innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Fortune Future 50, Newsweek’s 2025 Excellence Index 1000, and Forbes’ 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.

IonQ Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including but not limited to the terms “accelerate,” “accelerating,” “accessible,” “advancements,” “impactful,” “intends,” “position,” and other similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the IonQ’s hybrid computing and quantum and networking capabilities and plans; the future impacts of IonQ’s offerings; and the scalability, fidelity, efficiency, viability, accessibility, effectiveness, importance, reliability, performance, speed, impact, practicality, feasibility, and commercial-readiness of IonQ’s offerings. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; IonQ’s ability to deliver, and customers’ ability to generate, value from IonQ’s offerings; IonQ’s ability to implement its business plans, forecasts, roadmaps and other expectations, to identify and realize partnerships and opportunities, and to engage new and existing customers; IonQ’s ability to effectively enter new markets; and IonQ’s ability to deliver services and products within currently anticipated timelines. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s filings, including but not limited to those described in the “Risk Factors” section of IonQ's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and IonQ assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. IonQ does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.