The head of IBM"s Information Management software unit, which makes and sells the high profile DB2 database line of products, is bowing out next month.

Janet Perna, general manager of the Information Management unit, plans to retire after more than two decades with the company. Her job will go to Ambuj Goyal, who is now general manager of IBM"s Workplace, Portal and Collaboration Software division, according to an IBM spokeswoman. In an e-mail response to queries by Computerworld, the spokeswoman said Goyal has worked closely with Perna over the past decade and has overseen several technology acquisitions for the division.

"Today, we are the market share leader in database servers and tools, content management and information integration, and we lead the industry in customer and partner satisfaction," Perna said in statement. "IBM"s Information Management business had a solid quarter, with 15 percent year-to-year growth, and we achieved growth across all of our segments."

IBM claimed that the unit"s software has more than 60 million users at 400,000 companies worldwide.

Perna first joined IBM in 1981, and after holding a number of system programming and management jobs, became director of database technology at the IBM Toronto Laboratory in 1991. In 1996, she took over IBM"s Information Management business, where she is in charge of strategy, product development, marketing, sales and customer support. This past quarter, Perna oversaw the acquisition of Ascential Software Corp., which provides enterprise data integration applications.

Perna will remain in her job through August 15. An IBM spokesman said the company expects a "smooth transition" to Goyal"s tenure.