IBM Gets New CEO Too, Virginia M. Rometty Takes the Reins

This month is definitely one when many executive changes happen on the IT market, as IBM adds its list to that of companies which got, or will get, a new CEO or other executive.

IBM revealed that it decided who will lead its operations starting on January 1, 2012, when she becomes a board member as well.

It is Virginia M. Rometty that the task will fall to, after J. Palmisano, the current IBM Chairman, president and Chief Executive, will leave the post.

Contrary to what happened with other companies, however, Palmisano isn't actually going anywhere.

Instead of getting on the board's bad side or something else of that sort, it was simply decided that he would pass on the CEO position while maintaining the post of board chairman.

"Ginni Rometty has successfully led several of IBM's most important businesses over the past decade-from the formation of IBM Global Business Services to the build-out of our Growth Markets Unit," Mr. Palmisano said.

"But she is more than a superb operational executive. With every leadership role, she has strengthened our ability to integrate IBM's capabilities for our clients. She has spurred us to keep pace with the needs and aspirations of our clients by deepening our expertise and industry knowledge."

The most famous, or infamous, CEO departure of recent times has to be Leo Apotheker's, who left HP to Meg Whitman after making 'disappointing decisions' which left the company on the road to retiring from the PC market and with a dying (now mostly dead) webOS division.

With management changes still happening there, IBM's own maneuvers are quite benign.

“Ginni's long-term strategic thinking and client focus are seen in our growth initiatives, from cloud computing and analytics to the commercialization of Watson,” said Palmisano.

“She brings to the role of CEO a unique combination of vision, client focus, unrelenting drive, and passion for IBMers and the company's future. I know the board agrees with me that Ginni is the ideal CEO to lead IBM into its second century."