New top dog at Big Blue

Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

IBM has appointed Carl Symon as chairman and chief executive for the UK and Ireland. Symon is one of those trusty employees who has been at IBM since time immemorial (1969 to be precise). Starting his colourful career at Big Blue in Kingston, Jamaica, as a marketing representative, he moved through the ranks, working in the Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong and the US. His most recent appointment was general manager of industries in Latin America. Symon succeeds Khalil Barsoum, who has taken up the post of general manager of industries for IBM, the Middle East and Africa, and remains chairman of IBM in the UK. ®