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Disney Exec Takes Microsoft CIO Job

Microsoft hired a former Disney executive for its chief information officer vacancy.

Tony Scott, 56, will start as CIO in February and report to Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner. Scott's most recent experience was as senior vice president and CIO at The Walt Disney Co. He has also been chief technology officer at General Motors Corp. and vice president of operations at Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co.

In a statement, Microsoft said Scott was the first Disney CIO to manage company-wide IT and credited him with leading Disney through a major IT transformation.

At Microsoft, Scott steps into a unique and high-profile CIO position. In addition to handling traditional CIO duties, a Microsoft CIO must act as an informal beta-tester-in-chief and serve as Microsoft's ambassador to the IT industry for best practices with the company's software. He'll be in charge of Microsoft's 4,000-person global IT operation, and be responsible for supporting its 70,000 employees and tens of thousands of contractors.

"More than any other company, Microsoft knows how important it is to leverage IT for strategic business advantage, and I look forward to building on this success in my new role," Scott said in a statement. "So few places offer the chance to expand your skills and have an impact across such a broad range of technologies -- from services to unified communications to mobility. It is a great opportunity, and I am excited to work with this team to help Microsoft advance its business forward through IT."

The CIO position came open in November when Microsoft fired Stuart Scott after about two years in the job. At the time, a Microsoft spokesman would say only that an investigation confirmed that company policies had been violated by Scott, who spent 17 years with General Electric Co. before coming to Microsoft.

Alain Crozier, a corporate vice president who also reports to Turner, and Shahla Aly, a general manager in the services group, had been handling CIO duties while the company searched for a permanent replacement.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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