Dennie Welsh the IBM Corp executive credited with transforming Big Blue’s services business into a $20bn-plus powerhouse is taking open-ended medical leave of absence and is being replaced the man being touted by some as chairman Louis Gerstner’s heir apparent, Sam Palmisano. Palmisano inherits Welsh’s title as Global Services general manager while reins to Palmisano’s Personal Systems Group passes to David Thomas, one-time head of what eventually became IBM’s PC Co. Thomas was most recently head of IBM’s global industries business. Mainframe boss Linda Sanford becomes general manager of that unit and her replacement is Dave Carlucci, one-time head of the printing systems business and most recently corporate CIO.
