February 10, 2009 3:29 PM PST
Microsoft names new PR chief
Microsoft said on Tuesday that it has hired Nissan Motor communications chief Simon Sproule to serve as vice president of corporate communications.
Sproule
(Credit: Nissan)Sproule will start at Microsoft on March 2, the company said, reporting to Mich Mathews, senior vice president of Microsoft's overall marketing efforts.
The post has been vacant since September, when former communications VP Larry Cohen left to serve as Bill Gates' chief of staff.
Sproule, 40, spent five years at Nissan, and before that held several positions at Ford Motor, including vice president of communications for Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover North America.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
