Microsoft hires AT&T executive to manage Windows

Microsoft Monday announced it has hired Michael Sievert as its corporate vice president for Windows product management.

Sievert comes from AT&T Wireless Services, where he was executive vice president and chief marketing officer since 2002. Other past jobs for Sievert include executive vice president and chief global marketing and sales officer at Etrade Financial as well as posts at IBM and Procter & Gamble.

Sievert replaces Tom Button, who has been on a leave of absence for "family medical reasons," the Redmond, Wash., company said, adding that Button is expected to return to Microsoft in a new job.

Siervert's to-do list will include preparing for the highly anticipated launch of Longhorn, the next major release of Windows, which is slated for release next year.

Microsoft said that Sievert brings to the team his broad industry experience and marketing insight, while Sievert himself is quoted in the statement as saying that he intends to leverage what he has learned in the wireless and financial services industries.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.