Microsoft’s executive shakeup: Windows head Steven Sinofsky departs, the full story – The Verge

Former Windows head Steven Sinofsky joins startup world as an advisor

2013-08-22T12:49:22-04:00

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Steven Sinofsky, who led Microsoft's Windows division before abruptly leaving the company in late 2012, is dipping a toe into the world of startup investing. This morning, Sinofsky announced on his blog that he was joining Andreessen Horowitz, one of the biggest venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. "I'm relatively new to the VC world and have a lot of learning to do - and I am very excited to do that," he writes. Sinofsky served as Windows team president starting in 2009, after two decades at Microsoft, but since his departure he's launched a productivity and development blog called "Learn by Shipping" and begun a teaching stint at Harva …

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Former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky launches new ‘Learn by Shipping’ blog

2013-01-03T13:40:08-05:00

Steven Sinofsky Stock 1020

Former Windows and Windows Live president Steven Sinofsky abruptly left Microsoft late last year shortly after the company shipped Windows 8. As the head of Windows, Sinofsky played a vital part in shipping Windows 7 and Windows 8 on time. He is now turning his attention to writing a blog about product development and management after announcing his plans to teach at Harvard Business School.

The new blog, entitled Learn by Shipping, will see Sinofsky return to his habit of documenting processes and decisions around product management. Sinofsky wrote a number of lengthy articles during the Windows 7 and Windows 8 development phases and Learn …

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Former Windows president Steven Sinofsky returning to Harvard Business School to teach this spring

2012-12-19T12:46:15-05:00

Steven Sinofsky

It's been a little over a month since Windows and Windows Live president Steven Sinofsky abruptly left Microsoft due to apparent clashes with management, but now we know his next move. According to his Twitter account, Sinofsky will be teaching at the Harvard Business School this spring, something he did prior to joining the Windows team. A follow-up tweet indicated that he'll be teaching courses related to product development. It's not clear yet if this is a single-semester deal or whether Sinofsky plans to stick around Harvard, but his extensive experience at Microsoft developing Windows 8 (among other products) should make for an interest …

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Sinofsky speaks, denies he tried to take over Windows Phone division at Microsoft

2012-11-15T06:08:06-05:00

Steven Sinofsky

Former chief of Windows, Steven Sinofsky, departed Microsoft earlier this week in a shock announcement following the release of Windows 8 and Surface RT. While sources have claimed his departure was related to a clash of personalities, Sinofsky has started to share some insight into his role at Microsoft.

"No one ever approached me to manage them as part of Windows 7 or 8."

In a blog post by Hal Berenson, a former Microsoft distinguished engineer, Sinofsky has replied in the comments section to dispute some facts around rumored internal battles. Berenson claimed in his post that Sinofsky had lost recent attemps to control Windows Phone and M …

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Microsoft’s former Windows Phone chief shifted to head of corporate development and strategy

2012-11-13T18:46:24-05:00

Andy Lees

Microsoft's Andy Lees, who was moved out of the top Windows Phone job less than a year ago, has been shifted to the head of corporate development and strategy at the software giant, a company spokesperson has confirmed. Lees, who has been working on "a time-critical opportunity focused on driving maximum impact in 2012 with Windows Phone and Windows 8" for the past 11 months, will now report directly to Microsoft CFO Peter Klein rather than Steve Ballmer.

The timing follows a swift departure by former Windows head Steven Sinofsky, who left Microsoft due to a clash of personalities according to sources. Andy Lees originally oversaw Windows P …

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Meet Julie Larson-Green, the woman who will lead Windows

2012-11-13T06:01:13-05:00

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Steven Sinofsky is out at Microsoft. The Windows boss has left the building, and now Julie Larson-Green is in charge. She is now responsible for leading all Windows software and hardware engineering, and she will report to Steve Ballmer from here on out.

Running the Windows team is a huge job, but who exactly is Julie Larson-Green?

A 19-year Microsoft veteran steps into big new shoes

Julie Larson-Green is a 19-year Microsoft veteran, a user-experience evangelist, a self-taught programmer who wanted to work with computers before she ever used one, and a leader who believes employees need to collaborate rather than compete with one another. …

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Steven Sinofsky’s letter to Microsoft employees explaining his departure

2012-11-12T22:47:17-05:00

Steven Sinofsky

Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows has posted Steven Sinofsky's full letter to Microsoft employees announcing his departure. Sinofsky says that, following the Windows 8 and Surface launch, he has "decided to leave the company to seek new opportunities that build on these experiences."

Some might notice a bit of chatter speculating about this decision or timing. I can assure you that none could be true as this was a personal and private choice that in no way reflects any speculation or theories one might read-about me, opportunity, the company or its leadership.

This contrasts with what The Verge has heard from sources within Microsoft, …

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Sources inside Microsoft say a clash of personalities led to Sinofsky’s departure

2012-11-12T22:01:17-05:00

steven sinofsky

The abrupt departure of Windows and Windows Live President Steven Sinofsky this evening has surprised many in the Microsoft community considering that he's hot off the launch of Windows 8 and Surface, two of Redmond's most important products in the last decade. There had been persistent rumblings that the man who oversaw the launch of Windows 8 was in line for a larger role in the company, perhaps even as the heir to CEO Steve Ballmer. However, multiple sources within Microsoft describe Sinofsky as abrasive and off-putting, aggressively maintaining his control over products and putting up roadblocks for products that would have any potential …

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Steve Ballmer’s letter to team on Sinofsky departure

2012-11-12T20:44:42-05:00

We've just learned that Windows chief Steven Sinofsky has left Microsoft, less than a month after the Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface launch. Here's what CEO Steve Ballmer had to say about the executive departure:

Over the past few months we have delivered the foundation for a new era for Microsoft. From Office to Bing to Windows Phone and Windows Azure, to Xbox and of course Windows and Surface and everything in between, we've unleashed a huge wave of devices and services that people and businesses love. I simply couldn't be more proud of the effort you have all put in to get us here and to set the foundation for our future. At the Windows …

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Windows head Steven Sinofsky leaves Microsoft

2012-11-12T20:34:40-05:00

Steven Sinofsky Microsoft stock

Steven Sinofsky, the Microsoft executive in charge of Windows, has left the company. Julie Larson-Green is to assume control of Windows software and hardware engineering, and CFO Tami Reller will be in charge of the Windows business. The changes are effective immediately, and no reason was given for Sinofsky's departure. He had the following to say in a statement:

"It is impossible to count the blessings I have received over my years at Microsoft. I am humbled by the professionalism and generosity of everyone I have had the good fortune to work with at this awesome company."

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, meanwhile, said "I am grateful for the …

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