In a surprise move, Jim Whitehurst has decided to step down as IBM’s president just 14 months after taking the role through the $34-billion Red Hat acquisition.

Whitehurst has played a critical role in the IBM and Red Hat integration.

“In the almost three years since the acquisition was announced, Jim has been instrumental in articulating IBM’s strategy, but also, in ensuring that IBM and Red Hat work well together and that our technology platforms and innovations provide more value to our clients,” Arvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM, said in a statement.

However, Whitehurst will continue working as Senior Advisor to Krishna and the rest of the Executive Leadership Team as the company continues to evolve its business.

IBM also announced some other leadership changes: Bridget van Kralingen is stepping down from her current role as Senior Vice President, Global Markets. She has also been a champion of diversity, chairing our LGBT+ and Women’s initiatives. Bridget will remain Senior Vice President, Special Projects for a year at which time she will retire from IBM.

Rob Thomas will become Senior Vice President, Global Markets. He has led various parts of the company’s business such as data and AI, hardware, services, and software. He has also spent time outside the United States, including living in Tokyo when he led business development in the Asia-Pacific region.