IBM Current CEO, Sam Palmisano, announced that he will step down January 1, ‎and will be succeeded by Virginia Rometty, the firm’s first female CEO.  IBM has ‎a policy of retiring executives at about 60.

Ginny Rometty, as she is known by those close to her, is 54 and has recently led ‎a number of IBM’s largest divisions.  She also directly oversaw one of the firm’s ‎most critical and challenging transformation initiatives, the PwC Consulting ‎acquisition and its subsequent integration.  The new resulting Services division ‎has been a cornerstone of successful of steady profitable growth.

Sam Palmisano, in speaking about IBM’s first woman CEO, said, she’s the best ‎candidate, period.

The CEO transition process is critical for a company like IBM, and contrast sharply ‎with many other firms who make a succession of moves.  A stable Board, a ‎stable CEO, and a good strategy have positioned IBM well in yet another aspect ‎of its industry leadership.