The corporate boardroom in Redmond gets a reshuffle, and it looks like Jim Allchin will turn in his key to the executive washroom at the end of 2006.
It’s musical chairs time at Microsoft, and six executives with the company will see their roles change as they rise, or make plans to depart. Microsoft disclosed a number of changes in a statement issued today.
Jim Allchin, president of Platform Products and Services, becomes co-president of that division. Kevin Johnson, former group VP for worldwide sales and marketing, will be the other co-president.
Mr. Johnson will take sole ownership of the president’s position with Mr. Allchin’s departure next year. He will leave after Windows Vista becomes commercially available.
Further impact from the Microsoft Business Summit will see the Business Solutions division and the Information Worker business combine into one unit, the Business Division. Jeff Raikes, one of the company’s Senior Leadership team, will be president.
Robbie Bach’s star continues to rise within the company. He has been named president of the Entertainment and Devices Division. The former chief Xbox officer will oversee the launch of the Xbox 360 console and Windows game development.
Lotus Notes creator Ray Ozzie becomes one of Microsoft’s three chief technical officers. He joined Microsoft after the company acquired his Groove Networks firm in April of this year.
Microsoft has called the changes a realignment. “It’s great to have extremely successful broad leaders with strong track records in driving growth and innovation leading these three very important areas for the company,” Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in the statement.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
