Microsoft has confirmed rumours that entertainment and devices (E&D) division president Robbie Bach (pictured above) will be retiring from the company later this year, while former Xbox figurehead J Allard will also leave the firm.
Bach will remain with Microsoft through the fall, working with company CEO Steve Ballmer and his leadership team to ensure a smooth transition.
E&D senior VP Don Mattrick will continue to lead the company’s interactive entertainment business and senior VP Andy Lees will continue to run the mobile communications business, with both reporting directly to Ballmer effective July 1.
“At Microsoft, I’ve been so fortunate to spend more than two decades of my life working with incredible people and doing amazing things like launching Office, Xbox and Xbox Live, the Halo franchise, Windows Phones, Zune and more,” said Bach, who joined the company in 1988.
“I’m at the time in my life where I want to dedicate more time to my family and my nonprofit work, including my work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I have the utmost confidence in Steve, Don and Andy and their ability to see through our mission of bringing extraordinary entertainment and mobility experiences to life for people around the world.”
Ballmer said: “For the past 22 years, Robbie has personified creativity, innovation and drive. With this spirit, he has led a division passionately devoted to making Microsoft successful in interactive entertainment and mobility... One measure of a leader is the team he assembles around him, and Robbie built an incredible team. Don and Andy are exactly the right leaders to carry our entertainment and mobility efforts forward.”
Microsoft also confirmed reports that J Allard, senior vice president of design and development for E&D, will be leaving the firm after 19 years. He will however take an official advisory role for Ballmer and his leadership team.
“J has brought a game-changing creative magic to Microsoft for years, from Windows to Xbox, from Zune to KIN,” Ballmer said. “He was one of the key drivers in our early work on the web, and we’re absolutely delighted that J’s role with the company will evolve in a way that lets all of Microsoft benefit from his business insight, technical depth and keen eye for consumer experience.”
Additionally, Microsoft announced that David Treadwell, corporate vice president of Live Platform Services, will take a new position leading the core technology organisation for the interactive entertainment business, reporting to Mattrick.