The Game of Thrones world that surrounds IBM executives has been the same since I joined IBM in the 1970s. C-level executives are always looking to leave their mark.
Early 1970s Frank Cary - Declared mainframes will never die but admits that the PC might be useful for some things.
Late 70s-80s John Opel - Declared mainframes will never die, sold many PCs and tries to diversify IBM with cool acquisitions like Rolm analog PBX technology.
80s-Early 90s John Ackers - Declared mainframes will never die and then proceeds to watch them die.
90s Lou Gerstner - Buried the mainframes and laid off more employees than anyone else before Ginni. Turns IBM towards services.
00s Sam Palmisano - Internally renames IBM to Acquisitions 'R' Us. Manages to get IBM to $100B yearly with lots of inorganic growth. Doesn't work. Spends as much in RAs, division sell-offs and - oh yeah - planning the impossible $20 EPS for 2015.
10s Ginni Rometty - New record for consecutive quarterly revenue declines, record number of MNA implosions, sets a new standard for financial engineering that fools only those who work in Armonk, abandons $20 EPS for 2015 in 2014 but does learn how to give presentations without PowerPoint. Still... She needs something for her legacy.
Then she figures it out! Over pays for legacy company with flattening $3B annual revenue expectations. Another cecord!
Enjoy it RedHat. Soon $3B in income will look like a dream. Welcome to zero non-customer travel, middle seat in economy and $20 a day per diem for meals in San Francisco.