IBM Shuffles Management DeckIBM Shuffles Management Deck

Janet Perna, general manager of IBM Software's Information Management Group, plans to retire next month after 31 years with the company.

Perna is scheduled to leave IBM on Aug. 15, and Ambuj Goyal, currently general manager of IBM Workplace, Portal, Lotus and Collaboration Software Products, will take on her job, the company confirmed Tuesday.

A former teacher, Perna is well-respected by IBM partners and customers as a no-nonsense leader in driving Big Blue’s information integration strategy. The Information Management Group's purview includes the DB2 product line as well as some WebSphere-branded products.

Goyal has spearheaded the IBM/Lotus collaboration push for several years. He also has done stints at IBM Research.

In other executive changes, IBM services chief John Joyce is slated to leave the company to join Silver Lake Partners, an investment firm, according to a published report. The huge IBM Global Services group will now be headed by newly promoted senior vice presidents Mike Daniels and Ginny Rometty, the report said.