Microsoft shuffles more Windows execs

Microsoft has made more executive changes in the division that oversees Windows, adding on Tuesday one executive to its Platforms and Services Division and saying that three will leave the group once Windows Vista is released to manufacturing.

Brian Valentine, senior vice president of the Windows Core Operating System Division (COSD), will transition to a new role in the company once Vista is complete, Microsoft said. He has been a key member of the Windows team since 1998, leading the effort on many of the major Windows releases, including Windows 2000 and Windows XP, Microsoft said.

Dave Cutler, a senior technical fellow, and Amitabh Srivastava, corporate vice president of COSD, will also leave the Windows team after Vista is released to work directly with Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie on Microsoft’s Live online products and services.

Microsoft has not said publicly when it expects Vista to be released to manufacturing, but the product is supposed to be ready for business customers by November, and to consumers in January 2007.

Effective immediately, Ozzie will take over direction of the Live Labs team, which is led by Gary Flake, technical fellow and Live Labs director and founder. The Live Labs team will continue its work to incubate online services and research projects, Microsoft said.

Also effective now, Jon DeVaan has joined the Platforms and Services Division as senior vice president of engineering, sharing co-leadership of the COSD with Valentine. DeVaan will drive Windows OS development and cross-platform integration, as well as work on products and services that will follow Windows Vista once Valentine leaves the division.

Microsoft undertook a major reshuffling of its Platforms and Services Division in March, when it split the division into eight major groups and moved Steven Sinofsky from the Office group to lead the group overseeing Windows client OS and Windows Live services development.