Julie Larson-Green, the former Windows executive who most recently led Microsoft hardware development as the top executive in the company’s Devices and Studios Group, is moving to a new role in the company’s Applications and Services Group.
[…]
Her role leading the company’s Devices & Studios Group will be filled by Stephen Elop, the Nokia executive who is rejoining Microsoft as part of the Redmond company’s $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business.
Oh boy. I’m trying hard to imagine a world where this is a good idea. Remember that Elop was the one who during the CEO search was saying that he would spin off the Xbox division—the only thing at Microsoft that’s really trying to innovate in services—away from Microsoft itself.
Nokia’s hardware approach has been a disaster for some time now and I’m not too thrilled about that track record coming to Xbox, which is a brand I love quite a bit. On the other hand, this has the potential to give the “Windows Mobile should be a fork of Android” idea a bit of an internal push, which would be great to see.
The article goes on to quote an internal email that was sent as part of this transition from Larson-Green. Some choice quotes:
As you will read in the notes below from Qi and Satya, I’ve accepted a new challenge, leading the My Life & Work team in ASG and serving as the Chief Experience Officer (CXO).
This appears to be an actual team and position name. I have no joke that is better than the real thing.
I want to thank each and every one of you for welcoming me and supporting me as the leader of Devices & Studios over the past 7 months.
7 months is hardly enough time to grasp the relationships in a team as big as that has to be, let alone effectively drive them to innovate. I’d love to be wrong here, but that kind of short executive tenure with a group doesn’t sound fun.
Our opportunity to grow as a world-class devices and experiences company is greater than ever, and I have every belief that as One Microsoft we’re on the right path. The addition of Nokia Devices & Services into the DnS family will add tremendous scale, talent and opportunity for our future.
And it will probably add a tremendously enjoyable turf war that is not likely to make any products better.
You are all in great hands with Stephen and already we’ve shared a lot with him and his LT from Nokia regarding all of the fantastic people, teams and products in DnS. I also know many of you are looking forward to welcoming the Nokia team and working more closely with them.
By which is meant, “I know none of you are really thrilled about an entirely new team merging with yours, but you should probably start coping now.”
