Elop Leaves Business Division

Stephen Elop, the president of Microsoft’s Business Division, has left to become the CEO of mobile phone company Nokia. The move comes in a critical point in the company’s transition to selling online services and leaves Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in charge of Microsoft’s largest division by revenue, while he also supervises the company’s efforts in games and mobile devices.

Important Office Decisions Ahead

Elop leaves the post after only two years, during which he oversaw updates to the division’s three largest products by revenue—Office 2010, Exchange 2010, and SharePoint 2010—as well as the launch of the browser-based Office Web Apps. However, he was unable to diversify the division’s business or spur growth during his short tenure: the Office suite still accounts for an estimated two-thirds of the Business Division’s revenue, and its annual revenue was flat in fiscal year 2010 (which ended June 30, 2010), although the release of Office 2010 in May helped the division’s fourth quarter revenue rise 15% from the prior year.