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Janet Perna is general manager, data management solutions, IBM Software Group, which is the fastest growing database business in the industry.
Under Ms. Perna's leadership, IBM's data management business, with its flagship DB2 family of products, has grown to include 60 million users in over 400,000 companies worldwide. In 2001, IBM was named the worldwide leader in database management software with 34.6% market share.
Ms. Perna's business and technology leadership has earned her numerous honors and awards, including her 2001 induction into the Women In Technology International Hall of Fame, recognition by Information Week as one of the nation's "Top 10 Women in IT," and inclusion among the thinkers and innovators on Sm@rt Partner's list of "50 Smartest People." Ms. Perna serves on the prestigious 50-member IBM's World Management Council, which acts as an advisory board to the chairman, and the Corporate Technology Team.
Perna was instrumental in IBM's decision to acquire the assets of Informix Software's database business in 2001. The $1 billion acquisition doubles IBM's distributed database business, and adds some 2,500 employees.
Perna first joined IBM in San Jose, California where she held a number of system programming and management positions. She moved into product development at the Santa Teresa Laboratory in 1981. When she became director of database technology at the IBM Toronto Laboratory in 1991, she began building IBM's database business on distributed platforms, including Unix, NT and OS/2.
In 1996 she was promoted to general manager, assuming worldwide responsibilities for IBM's data management business, including strategy, product development, marketing, sales and customer support. She is IBM Software Group's highest ranking female executive.
Under Perna's tenure, IBM's data business, which is headquartered in Somers, NY, has focused on delivering innovative products to help customers with real-world business problems, and on delivering those products faster than the competition. It has invested $1 billion to build sales and marketing capabilities. It employs 6,000 workers, including 1,000 researchers and developers in five laboratories worldwide.
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