Leader of Microsoftâs Office Business Is Retiring
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Jeff Raikes, a 26-year veteran of Microsoft, plans to retire later this year and the company announced that it was reaching outside its ranks for his successor.
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Meg Whitman, the Web-pioneering chief executive of eBay Inc., is preparing to retire after a decade at the helm of the online auctioneer, according to a published report.
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In a surprise move, the leader of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Doug Burgum said Tuesday he plans to leave Microsoft Corp. at the end of June 2007.
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(InfoWorld) - In a surprise move, the leader of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Doug Burgum said Tuesday he plans to leave Microsoft Corp. at the end of June 2007. Satya Nadella replaces Burgum as senior vice president of MBS effective immediately, though Burgum will remain on in his current role for the next nine months to ensure Nadella's transition is a smooth one. Nadella is currently the head of research and development for MBS and its Dynamics suite of business applications. In November 2005, Burgum and Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division, announced they were looking for a successor for Burgum, who joined the company when Microsoft acquired Great Plains Software Inc. in April 2001 and has been instrumental in reshaping the company's ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management) applications business. However, at the time Burgum said his intention would be to remain at the company as chairman of MBS. On a conference call Tuesday, Burgum said he decided last Friday after talking with Raikes to leave the company instead, in part because he makes his home in Fargo, North Dakota, and has no plans to move to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington. "I have personal constraints relative to geography," Burgum said. "I always felt this was a job that needs to be done full time in Redmond and not by someone who is commuting." Burgum said he has given "little or no thought" to what he will do once he leaves Microsoft, and that for now his focus is on "driving the MBS business moving forward." While Microsoft originally said the search for Burgum's successor would be an external one, Raikes said the company ultimately choose Nadella after reviewing external candidates because he is "the best person for the job." Nadella has been with Microsoft since 1992, and he joined the MBS unit in 2001. Prior to his current position, he led the global development team for Microsoft's Dynamics, which is located in Copenhagen, Denmark; Hyderabad, India; Fargo; and Redmond. Before joining MBS, Nadella held several marketing, product development and general management roles, which include launching and leading the Microsoft bCentral small business online service and acting as general manager for the Commerce Platforms Group. In the latter position, Nadella led the development efforts for Microsoft Commerce Server and Microsoft BizTalk Server. In fiscal 2006, which ended June 30, MBS revenue grew 17 percent, and achieved profitability ahead of analyst expectations, Raikes said Tuesday. He attributed the business' strength to Burgum's influence. "The MBS business is in great shape because of the role Doug played in getting us there," Raikes said. Both Raikes and Nadella said they are bullish about sustaining MBS profitability and achieving more growth in fiscal 2007.
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Software maker plans to move leaders in its Windows, Windows Live, and Windows Mobile units. Executives leaving the company include two prominent outside hires.
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(InfoWorld) - A Microsoft executive has confirmed that the leader of its search team is leaving the company. In an internal memo viewed by IDG News Service, Microsoft's President of its Platforms and Services Division Kevin Johnson said that Christopher Payne is leaving Microsoft to form his own company. Published reports including one by The Wall Street Journal said as much last week, but Microsoft would not confirm his departure. Johnson said in the memo -- dated Friday and sent Sunday night to Microsoft employees, sources said -- that he and Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Windows and Windows Live Engineering are searching for a successor for Payne. "Christopher has been a tireless leader of our search R&D efforts over the last four years," Sinofsky wrote in his memo. "In that period, we've built a world-class search engine and a fantastic development team focused on this key business and product area for Microsoft. I thank Christopher for his leadership in this area, and wish him well in his future endeavors." Johnson said Microsoft's online services business continues to be "crucial" to the company's future success, and the company is committed to "accelerating" its progress in this area. "We need to drive hard on search, build our services platform to support users around the world, and deliver compelling user experiences," he wrote. "I appreciate your continued focus on the upcoming milestones and deliverables in our current search plan." Microsoft could not be reached immediately for comment through its public relations firm on Monday. Payne's bio remained online Monday, and Johnson's e-mail did not specify when the corporate vice president in charge of Windows Live Search would be leaving the company. It also was not clear if Payne plans to leave Microsoft for his own reasons or if the company is terminating his employment. However, Microsoft's search and online business has not been faring well against Google since Microsoft unveiled a plan in November 2005 to rename its search engine Windows Live Search and develop other Web-based services under that moniker in an attempt to take more of the online advertising market. At the time, the company also announced a small-business hosted package called Office Live. Revenue from Microsoft's online properties also remained relatively flat over the last fiscal year despite the company's increased investment to bolster this part of its business. Before taking over Microsoft's Windows Live Search team, Payne was vice president of MSN.com, where he managed MSN Search, the MSN.com home page, MSN Autos, MSN Entertainment, MSNBC, Slate, and the MSN Channels properties.
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Software executive, who came from Apple in 1981, says he's not sure what he'll do when he leaves Microsoft in September, but it will probably be outside of tech.
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John Burton, a California institution, is cleaning out his desk for the last time after a 40-year political career.
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Just before his farewell CES keynote speech, Microsoft's chairman reflects on Redmond's rivals and the changing face of Windows. Photos: Gates' last call at CES?
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The Microsoft Corp.  executive in charge of closing the gap on Web search leader Google Inc  is leaving the company, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
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Starbucks President and Chief Executive Orin Smith, one of the triumvirate under which Starbucks came of age, will retire in the spring.
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George Reyes will be one of only a few of the Internet search giantâs top executives to have left since its founding in 1998.
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R. Nicholas Burns, the countryâs third-ranking diplomat who has been Secretary of State Condoleezza Riceâs right-hand man, is retiring for personal reasons.
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The Microsoft executive who had led the effort to close the gap on Google is leaving the company.
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(InfoWorld) - A Microsoft executive who helped develop the company'sÂ new Zune music playerÂ and other products is leaving the company, Microsoft said Wednesday. Bryan Lee, corporate vice president of Microsoft's entertainment business, "has decided to retire from Microsoft to pursue personal interests," the company said in a prepared statement. Lee reported to Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, who hired Lee in 2000. Bach said during his tenure Lee worked on development and deployment of the Xbox gaming system, the Windows XP Media Center operating system and the company's IP-television initiatives. "I want to extend my thanks to Bryan from the company and from me personally, for all of his contributions to Microsoft," Bach said. The Zune music player,Â introduced in November 2006, has been touted as Microsoft's challenge to the market-leading MP3 player, the iPod from Apple. Zune users can download music or videos from Microsoft's Zune.com Web site to the 30GB player. Unlike the iPod, the Zune is equipped with Wi-Fi. Lee will remain at Microsoft for a few more weeks to assist in the transition, the company said. J. Allard, corporate vice president of design and development, will take over full responsibility for the Zune. Joe Belfiore and Enrique Rodriguez, both corporate vice presidents who had reported to Lee, will now report to Bach.
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The executive who leads Microsoft&#39;s government sales effort is leaving to become CEO of a telecommunications company, the software maker said on Tuesday.
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Meg Whitman, the chief executive of eBay for almost 10 years, is stepping down and will be replaced by John Donahoe, president of eBayâs marketplaces division.