Louis Gerstner, the executive credited with rescuing IBM from decline, has died aged 83.
He led IBM from 1993 to 2002 during a period of intense industry change.
When Gerstner arrived, IBM faced fierce competition from Microsoft and Sun Microsystems.
He became the first outsider to run the company and rejected plans to break it up.
Instead, Gerstner kept IBM intact, betting on integrated solutions for clients.
That decision, current CEO Arvind Krishna said, proved crucial to the firm’s survival.
Gerstner prioritised profitability and customer service over grand vision statements.
He also scrapped IBM’s OS/2 operating system, conceding the PC market to rivals.
Before IBM, Gerstner led American Express and RJR Nabisco.
After leaving IBM, he chaired the Carlyle Group.
Colleagues remembered him as direct, demanding, and intensely focused.
His leadership reshaped IBM for the modern technology era.
