Storage vendor NetApp announced a series of major changes to its senior leadership team this week, most significantly the election of chief executive officer Tom Georgens as chairman of the board. He is stepping into the shoes of 20-year company veteran Dan Warmenhoven, who held the role of CEO from October 1994 to August 2009 and also served a five-year stint as president until handing over the reins to Georgens.

Georgens is assuming the responsibilities his new post effective immediately, but Warmenhoven will nonetheless fulfill his entire term until NetApp’s annual shareholders meeting this September.

“I want to express my deep appreciation for Dan’s many contributions as chairman of the board at NetApp,” stated Georgens. “Dan’s extensive experience has been instrumental to our ongoing efforts to deliver enhanced value to our shareholders. His leadership, commitment and guidance will be missed and I wish him well in his future endeavors.”

In the backdrop of Georgens’ appointment as chairman, Michael Nevens is replacing Nicholas Moore as NetApp’s independent director after five years on the board. One level down the corporate food chain, Robert Salmon has been promoted to the head of the company’s newly established go-to-market operations unit and tapped to replace Georgens as president. The executive had served in a variety of leadership roles in the two decades he’s worked for NetApp, most recently executive vice president of worldwide field operations.

“Rob is an outstanding leader and has been a major contributor to NetApp’s growth to a $6B company,” Georgens in a separate statement. “I am confident that Rob’s insight, integrity, and passion will enable the new GTM Operations organization to holistically drive customer success and accelerate growth for NetApp.”

Also this week, NetApp snatched Jay Bhow from Oracle India, where he headed the database giant’s Retail Global Business Unit, to lead its engineering division. Bhow brings 25 years of industry experience to the company and will operate out of Bangalore.