Another Microsoft Titan Stepping Down
In a year of
high-level
executive departures, Microsoft will say goodbye to another senior executive.
Kevin Johnson, 47, will be heading to Juniper Networks as CEO in September.
Johnson, a 16-year veteran and the Platforms & Services Division president,
joins Bill
Gates and Jeff
Raikes in heading for the exits this year. He was also co-president for
a time with Jim Allchin, who left
in early 2007 when Vista shipped. Click here
for Kurt Mackie's in-depth news story about Johnson's departure and Microsoft's
reorganization of the division into the Windows and Online Services Business.
Microsoft's news release about the change makes it sound like Ballmer initiated
the change in the 14,000-person organization rather than simply responding to
Johnson's acceptance of a position with Juniper. The move would reflect the
reality that Johnson, like his predecessors at the company, has been unable
to turn Microsoft into a more powerful player online versus Google. Johnson
is described in several newspaper pieces as having been a key driver of the
(thus far unsuccessful) Yahoo acquisition attempt.
In any case, Johnson is staying around until September, and many other executives
(Steven Sinofsky, Jon DeVaan, Bill Veghte and Satya Nadella) are involved in
the shuffle.
Something of a revolving door appears to be forming between Microsoft and Juniper,
at any rate: Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop came to Microsoft
in January from the COO position at Juniper.
Posted by Scott Bekker on July 24, 2008