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Louis Gerstner, the transformative former CEO and chairman of IBM, passed away on Saturday at the age of 83.

IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna announced the news in an email to employees on Sunday, though he did not reveal the cause of death.

"Lou arrived at IBM at a moment when the company's future was genuinely uncertain. His leadership during that period reshaped the company. Not by looking backward, but by focusing relentlessly on what our clients would need next," Krishna wrote, highlighting Gerstner's pivotal role in revitalizing the tech giant.

Gerstner joined IBM in April 1993 from RJR Nabisco, where he had served as CEO, after earlier stints at American Express and consulting firm McKinsey, CNBC reported.

He became the first outsider to lead the company known as Big Blue, inheriting a business facing serious financial challenges.

During his nine-year tenure, Gerstner is credited with turning IBM around from the brink of bankruptcy.

He shifted the company's focus toward business services, overhauled its corporate culture, and streamlined operations through expense reductions, asset sales, and stock repurchases.

By the time he retired in 2002, IBM's stock had risen roughly 800% under his leadership.

Louis Gerstner Retires from Carlyle Group

After stepping down as CEO, Gerstner served as chairman of the Carlyle Group until his retirement in 2008.

According to the NY Post, he also authored the acclaimed book "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance" and co-authored "Reinventing Education: Entrepreneurship in America's Public Schools," sharing insights from his decades in business leadership.

Beyond corporate success, Gerstner was deeply committed to public education.

He launched initiatives at IBM to integrate technology into schools and worked to improve opportunities for students across the United States.

In 1989, he established Gerstner Philanthropies, including the Gerstner Family Foundation, supporting biomedical research, environmental causes, educational programs, and social services in New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County, Florida.

Gerstner's influence extended through his service on the boards of major organizations, including Bristol-Myers, the New York Times, American Express, AT&T, and Caterpillar.

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