Platform, Consumer Units Reworked for Fiscal 2012

Microsoft’s annual strategy review has yielded high-level organizational changes throughout the company. The changes provide some hints to the company’s overall priorities for its 2012 fiscal year, which will begin in July 2011. In particular, server platforms, cloud services, and consumer marketing all have new leaders who might strike out in new directions.

Described here are notable changes to the Microsoft organization at the corporate vice-presidential level and above. Further details are available in the May 2011 OrgChart.

New Leaders for Server, Cloud Platforms

The Server & Tools division will have new leaders for some important developer-facing businesses, including parts of Windows Server and the Windows Azure cloud platform. The changes follow the arrival of Satya Nadella to take over the division from Bob Muglia, who is leaving Microsoft. (See the illustration “Server “.)

Scott Guthrie has been named corporate vice president, Azure Application Platform. Guthrie will be responsible for important application platform components of Windows Server and the Windows Azure cloud service, including the IIS Web platform and related APIs, and the AppFabric workflow and messaging components. Guthrie will also supervise the BizTalk Server application integration product as well as the Commerce Server product for e-commerce sites. Guthrie formerly led development of the .NET Framework developer platform, a position that is currently vacant. In his new role, Guthrie will report to Ted Kummert, senior vice president, Business Platform Division. Guthrie will probably focus on reducing differences between Web application and messaging technologies on Windows Server and Windows Azure, as well as enhancing developer tools for those technologies. A more uniform platform and better tools could prove key to beating cloud platform competitors such as Amazon, Salesforce.com, and VMware. However, Guthrie is not responsible for all Windows Server and Windows Azure technology: Bill Laing, corporate vice president, Server and Cloud, continues to lead development of core technology for both Windows Server and Windows Azure.