Ginni at IBM

Dear IBM Business Partner

On 25 October, IBM's board of directors elected Virginia M. Rometty president and chief executive officer of IBM, effective 1 January 2012. Ginni, as she is known to many, is currently IBM senior vice president and group executive for sales, marketing and strategy. She succeeds Samuel J Palmisano, who currently is IBM chairman, president and chief executive officer. Mr. Palmisano will remain chairman of the board.

In a written statement, Mr. Palmisano said, "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. 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. Ginni's long-term strategic thinking and client focus are seen in our growth initiatives, from cloud computing and analytics to the commercialisation of Watson. 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."

As IBM's global sales leader, Ginni, oversees IBM's sales community including the Global Business Partners and Midmarket organisation. She is accountable for revenue, profit and client satisfaction in the 170 global markets in which IBM does business. She is responsible for IBM's worldwide results, which exceeded $99 billion in 2010. She also is responsible for leading IBM's global strategy, marketing and communications functions. Previously, Ginni was senior vice president of IBM Global Business Services. In that role, she led the successful integration of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting—the largest acquisition in professional services history, building a global team of more than 100,000 business consultants and services experts. She has also served as general manager of IBM Global Services, Americas and of IBM's Global Insurance and Financial Services Sector.

I have known and worked with Ginni for many years. She is an exceptional leader and an expert in the disciplines that are critical to our future success. She is a proven advocate of our Business Partner community and understands the importance the channel brings to IBM. I look forward to her continued support and leadership as IBM moves into its second century.

Rich Hume - IBM