This global pandemic is affecting everyone and has disrupted the rhythms of our daily lives. IBM’s first priority is your physical health and mental well-being. During this challenging time, we all need to have empathy, solidarity, and understanding for each other, says Arvind Krishna, Chief Executive Officer, IBM, on the first day of his new job on Monday.

In a letter he said, “I’m writing to you for the first time as your new CEO in the midst of a global public health crisis unlike any other that we have faced.”

This crisis is also changing how many of us work. I’ve been particularly impressed to see how fast so many IBMers have adapted to new ways of working, including virtually and in new settings, which I know can be sometimes challenging, he wrote.

He further wrote, if there’s one thing that this public health crisis has brought to light it is the ever essential role of IBM in the world. “We are the backbone of some of the most critical systems of the world. Our technologies and services help banks run credit card transactions, businesses run supply chains, telcos connect customers, healthcare providers improve patient care, and companies and cities tackle cyberthreats.’’

As per Mr. Krishana, IBM can become the most trusted technology partner of the 21st century. “For this to happen, we have to ensure that IBM continues to innovate and lead in the transformational journeys our clients are on. Hybrid cloud and AI are two dominant forces driving change for our clients and must have the maniacal focus of the entire company.’’

He further wrote: IBM has already built enduring platforms in mainframe, services, and middleware. All three continue to serve IBM clients. “I believe now is the time to build a fourth platform in hybrid cloud. An essential, ubiquitous hybrid cloud platform our clients will rely on to do their most critical work in this century. A platform that can last even longer than others.’’

In his letter, Mr. Krishna also announced the following leadership changes within IBM: Jim Whitehurst, in his new role as President, will head IBM Strategy as well as the Cloud and Cognitive Software unit. Bridget van Kralingen will become Senior Vice President of Global Markets. Paul Cormier will become the CEO of Red Hat. Howard Boville will join IBM from Bank of America on May 1st to become Senior Vice President of Cloud Platform, overseeing the IBM Cloud.