IBM will be shuffling around a number of its
business-unit leaders this week.
Former worldwide software sales head Donn Atkins will take over
as general manager of IBM's global business partner organisations,
a position IBM veteran Michael Borman held since early 2003.
Borman will become general manager of IBM's iSeries server
group, while current iSeries head Al Zollar becomes the general
manager of the Tivoli software group.
Tivoli's incumbent leader, Robert LeBlanc, moves to the
WebSphere line, where he will serve as general manager. And,
completing the circle, WebSphere head John Swainson will take over
Atkins' position as IBM's head of software sales.
IBM spokesman Tim Breuer cast the changes as business as usual
at a company that likes to rotate its managing executives through
various departments.
"It's a chance to build skills and take advantage of IBM's deep
bench," Breuer said.
The rearrangement comes three months after a similar shuffle in
IBM's top management ranks, prompted by the departure of sales and
distribution head Mike Lawrie for Siebel Systems. That revamp
involved job swaps among the heads of IBM's sales, global services
and finance organisations.
Stacy Cowley writes for IDG News Service