Microsoft shuffle leads to many promotions
Microsoft made its leadership changes official on Thursday, promoting more than a dozen executives and confirming the departure or pending departure of three top executives.
As expected, Windows VP Mike Sievert, online services senior VP Steven Berkowitz, and Windows Mobile head Pieter Knook are all leaving the company. Knook is heading to a new post at Vodafone, Sievert plans to start his own company, and Berkowitz will stay at Microsoft through August, as his duties transition to other executives.
Microsoft promoted several executives to fill the departures. Bill Veghte moves from VP to senior vice president and adds responsibility for the business strategy for Windows, Windows Live, MSN, and search. Satya Nadella gets a similar title bump and adds programming and engineering oversight for MSN to his search-related responsibilities. Collectively, Vegthe, Nadella and former Aquantive CEO Brian McAndrews will take over Berkowitz's duties.
Filling Knook's role is Andy Lees, who becomes senior vice president of the mobile communications business. The move represents Lees' first mobile-related duties during his long tenure at Microsoft.
Brad Brooks, formerly a general manager in the Windows unit, will take over as head of consumer marketing for the operating system, assuming Sievert's responsibilities.
Roz Ho, former head of Microsoft's Mac unit, will become a corporate VP and lead the Danger team once Microsoft completes that acquisition. Microsoft's press release also notes that Ho will continue in her stealth role leading "various consumer-focused premium mobile offerings in mobile communications."
A Microsoft representative would not offer any further details, but ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley notes that Ho has been leading a project known as Pink and Purple aimed at bringing Zune experiences over to Windows Mobile.
Steve Guggenheimer, who had been in application platform marketing, becomes a corporate VP, heading Microsoft's relationships with computer makers.
Developer unit head S. Somasegar and Office executives Chris Capossela, Kurt DelBene, and Antoine Leblond each become senior VPs, but maintain largely their same responsibilities, with four other executives adding the VP title.
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. 
- Since...
- by Commander_Spock February 14, 2008 8:05 PM PST
- ... this latest Microsoft shuffle has lead "to many promotions"... When will "VISTA" (like "CHICAGO" which has not) arrive? Perhaps, these newly appointed/promoted executives are awaiting "its" arrival.
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