Microsoft to Lose Its Cloud Computing Chief

Microsoft to Lose Its Cloud Computing Chief

Cloud Computing Journal

Dave Thompson, the Microsoftie responsible for shepherding Office 365 out the door sometime this year, is going to head for the pasture and put his feet up once the stuff hits the cloud. He'll miss seeing the impact of Microsoft's dicey-rolling Office Web Apps on what is now its biggest revenue-generator, its Office division, and its hand-to-hand combat with Google et al. Microsoft confirmed rumors of his impending retirement for Seattle PI. As corporate VP of Microsoft Online, Thompson is also responsible for BPOS, its Business Productivity Online Suite, which includes the webby versions of SharePoint, Exchange, Lync (née Office Communications) and Live Meeting. Thompson joined Microsoft from DEC 21 years ago to head a development group working on LAN Manager, moved to the NT team eventually becoming responsible for Active Directory, the Windows Server Product Group and Exchange. The statement Microsoft gave Seattle PI described his career as "illustrious." He will join a bunch of other long-time or highly placed veterans in exiting the company for one reason or another like Server and Tools chief Bob Muglia, Bill Gates stand-in Ray Ozzie, Office division chief Steve Elop, the Windows guys Mike Nash and Bill Veghte and Entertainment & Devices chief Robbie Bach.

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