By Storyboard18
Publication Date: 2025-12-29 04:58:00
Louis Gerstner, the former chairman and chief executive officer of International Business Machines Corp. who led one of the most significant corporate turnarounds in modern business history, has died at the age of 83. IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna informed employees of his passing in an internal message on Sunday. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Gerstner took charge of IBM in April 1993, becoming the first external leader in the company’s history at a time when the technology giant was teetering on the brink of collapse. Once dominant in personal computers and mainframes, IBM was struggling with massive losses and internal fragmentation, with serious discussions underway about breaking the company into smaller units.
Instead of dismantling the firm, Gerstner opted for integration. He reversed plans to split IBM into semi-autonomous businesses and repositioned the company away from hardware dependence toward enterprise services and software. His approach marked a sharp…
