IBM Europe president Kaspar Cassani continues to rise in the hierarchy, and following the resignation of IBM Corp vice-chairman Paul Rizzo, he has been appointed one of two executive vice-presidents. He immediately assumes most of Mr Rizzo’s posts, including chairman and president of IBM World Trade Corp and a member of the IBM management committee. The 58-year-old Swiss national is now responsible for IBM World Trade Europe/Middle East/Africa Corp, IBM World Trade Asia/Pacific Corp, and the Information Systems Group. Also appointed executive vice-president is Jack Kuehler, and the pair are the first two to hold that title at IBM since the early 1970s. John Akers is presently both chairman and president, but the changes are seen as signalling that Mr Kuehler, 54, is being groomed to take over the latter post; he also takes charge of IBM’s systems integration white hope, the Federal Systems Division. Michael Armstrong, 48, succeeds Kap Cassani as president of IBM Europe.
