New Japan, France Leaders and CFO

The Japanese and French subsidiaries got new leaders in early 2005, and Microsoft added a new chief financial office (CFO) and replaced its head of Human Resources. The moves create temporary vacancies for the top positions in Microsoft’s units for consumer software and small to mid-size business sales.

For the latest view of the Microsoft corporate organization, see the online edition of the Directions on Microsoft OrgChart.

Huston to Japan, Rawding to MSN

Darren Huston has been named president of Microsoft Japan. Huston assumes a position previously held by Michael Rawding, who has been appointed corporate vice president of MSN Global Sales and Marketing.

Huston, formerly corporate vice president of the U.S. Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners Group, is a relative newcomer to Microsoft, having joined the company in Sept. 2003, but he has previous international experience as an executive with Starbucks and in McKinsey & Company’s marketing and strategy practices unit. As a senior vice president at Starbucks, Huston was responsible for new ventures, one of which was a partnership between the coffee company and Microsoft to provide wireless services in Starbucks coffee outlets.