New Leaders for Lync, Online

Unified communications strategy at Microsoft has new leadership and potentially new direction in the wake of recent corporate organization changes. Changes since Sept. 2011 have also shifted the leadership for consumer online services, Microsoft’s online marketplaces, and partnerships with telcos and other service providers. Subscribers can find further details in the latest version of the Directions on Microsoft OrgChart.

Lync Architect Moves to Online Services

The longtime technical and business leader of the Lync product line has left for the Online Services division, which is headed by President Qi Lu. The division has also seen some long-serving leaders take new jobs.

Gurdeep Singh Pall has taken a new position as corporate vice president, Information Platform and Experience. Pall had long led Lync development and strategy, having worked in that business in various roles since 2002. In his new position, he will direct Bing services relating to mobile, mapping, speech, and other functions. Pall will report to Lu. With Pall’s departure, unified communications strategy will probably be driven by Tony Bates, president of the just-acquired Skype Division, and Corporate Vice President Derek Burney, whose organization is now responsible for all Lync products as well as Excel, Access, and Office business intelligence technology.