IBM Consulting serves as an important interface with our clients and driver of business growth, leveraging the full power of IBM Technology and an open ecosystem of partners. 

We've got a great strategy, and great set of leaders to drive that strategy forward in our consulting business. Today I'm announcing several important leadership changes.

Mark Foster will become Chairman of IBM Consulting effective January 1, 2022, and will shift his efforts to ensuring a relentless client-centric focus carries through to all our Consulting clients and across IBM. I am pleased that Mark's passion for our clients will continue to benefit our business.

John Granger, who most recently has served as Chief Operating Officer, IBM Consulting, will succeed Mark and assume responsibility for strategy and daily operations as SVP of IBM Consulting, reporting to me. John has been responsible for operational discipline and profit performance, as well as leading our hybrid cloud services and our network of global delivery centers. Previously, John was General Manager for IBM Consulting in Europe and held a variety of leadership roles, having originally joined IBM in 2002. John has also played a pivotal role in transforming our consulting business over the past year, including leading strategic acquisitions such as Nordcloud, Taos and BoxBoat. Senior Vice President, Americas & Strategic Sales, IBM Consulting, Kelly Chambliss and others currently reporting to Mark will report to John.

Our Consulting business has seen good growth recently, driven by both our offerings and our delivery, and I am pleased that these key leaders will lead our business into the future. 

At the same time, Senior Vice President, Global Technology Services, Juan Zufiria will retire from IBM effective January 1, 2022. Since Juan assumed leadership of GTS in 2019, we increased client net promoter score by 50 points. We did this while improving service quality and gross margins. Juan originally joined IBM Research in 1987 and held numerous leadership roles including General Manager of IBM Europe, and GM of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel. I want to thank Juan for his focus and commitment throughout his IBM career, but particularly for balancing the demands of two jobs this past year -- running the existing GTS business while also building the future for our strategic partner Kyndryl.

Please join me in congratulating Mark and John on their new roles, wishing Juan all the best in his retirement, and in thanking them all for their exceptional leadership.

Arvind Krishna
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
IBM