IBM’s top has a new look

IBM made several top-level management changes this week beginning with the

appointment of Samuel Palmisano as the company’s new president and chief

operating officer, while John Thompson was promoted as vice chairman. Both

appointments will be effective September 1.

Palmisano has been IBM’s senior vice president and group executive in

charge of servers and enterprise storage systems. In his new positions, he will

be responsible for IBM's operating units, including all product and services

divisions as well as the company's sales and distribution and global financing

businesses.

Thompson, who was senior vice president and group executive of the IBM

Software Group, will be responsible for IBM's efforts in next-generation

Internet and wireless technologies and business relating to the Linux operating

system. Both are expected to be elected to the IBM board of directors. "As

we enter the next phase of IBM's transformation, we need a new organizational

approach that will strengthen our focus on both day-to-day marketplace results

and future growth opportunities,'' said chairman and CEO Louis V Gerstner.