Louis Gerstner, the former chair and CEO credited with rescuing IBM, has died aged 83.
The company confirmed his death on Sunday.
Gerstner led IBM from 1993 to 2002, when it faced declining relevance and heavy losses.
Rivals such as Microsoft and Sun Microsystems were reshaping the industry.
As IBM’s first external chief, Gerstner rejected plans to break the firm into smaller units.
He argued customers wanted integrated solutions, not fragmented technology.
IBM’s current CEO, Arvind Krishna, said that decision was vital to the company’s survival.
He praised Gerstner’s focus on clients and long-term relevance.
Gerstner prioritised restoring profitability over grand vision statements.
He also ended IBM’s OS/2 operating system push against Microsoft.
Before IBM, Gerstner ran American Express and RJR Nabisco.
After leaving IBM, he chaired the Carlyle Group.
Colleagues remembered him as demanding, direct, and intensely focused.
His leadership reshaped IBM during one of the most critical periods in its history.
