Palmisano heads into the Big Blue yonder

Former CEO to depart for good this year as vendor acquires UK migration firm Butterfly Software

After almost 40 years with the firm, former IBM chief executive Sam Palmisano is to leave Big Blue for good before this year is out.

The after nine years at the helm, Palmisano (pictured) vacated the CEO chair last year, to be replaced by Ginny Rometty. Since then he has served as chairman of the board, but will relinquish his directorial seat on 1 October. He will reportedly then spend two months acting as a "senior adviser", with his retirement date set for 1 December.

Rometty is to add the chairman role to her existing posts as president and chief executive.

In other news, the vendor has announced its latest acquisition, in the shape of UK data analysis and storage migration vendor Butterfly Software. The Maidenhead-based firm specialises in software and other migration tools and its operations will be slotted into the IBM Software Group.

"IBM will use Butterfly to help clients find new ways to drive greater value from its storage software and hardware solutions," claimed a Big Blue statement.