to take the company away from its roots as a hardware manufacturer and lead it into services, which included everything from consulting on the design of corporate systems to running a company's e-commerce operation.
Louis V Gerstner has written: 'Who says elephants can't dance?'
Harvard Business School
Gerstner spearheaded the successful "membership has it privileges" promotion. Gerstner's division was continually the most profitable in the company and in the entire financial services industry
In the nine years since Gerstner had arrived, the value of a share of IBM's stock catapulted from $13 to $80, adjusted for splits.
Gerstner became chairman and chief executive officer of IBM in April 1993 as declining sales of mainframe computers led to crippling losses.
From 1996 to 2002 Gerstner cochaired Achieve, an organization created by U.S. governors and business leaders to drive high academic standards for public schools in the United States.
Both parents placed high priority on education. Gerstner wrote in his book, "Whatever I have done well in life has been a result of my parents' influence."
Honorary Knight of the British Empire, Queen Elizabeth II, 2001.
"He's an acquired taste. He gets everybody to buy in on a strategy, and then he doesn't micromanage. If you expect to be stroked, forget it." Gerstner also irked some executives with his self-important air.
During Gerstner's tenure at American Express membership had increased from 8.6 million to 30.7 million.
Of course he is ! (:
Of course he is ! (: