Microsoft has announced the resignation of its head of acquisitions, Bruce Jaffe, two days after the company bid US$1.2 billion for enterprise search expert Fast Search & Transfer. Jaffe will retire on Feb. 29, the company said.

Jaffe joined the company's corporate strategy group in 1995, moving on to become chief financial officer of its online services business MSN before taking the role of corporate vice president for corporate development, where he was responsible for the company's acquisitions and joint ventures strategies.

"Bruce's contribution to Microsoft's growth is much appreciated and we wish him well in his next endeavor," the company said in a statement.

It's not clear yet what that next endeavor will be, although some reports say he is looking for a more entrepreneurial role in a smaller company.

Jaffe, who has a Masters in Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, lives near Seattle.

As architect of Microsoft's acquisitions strategy, Jaffe presided over its $6 billion offer for online advertising company aQuantive, a few weeks after Google bid $3.1 billion for DoubleClick.

Microsoft representatives would not say what role Jaffe played in the company's bid for Norwegian company Fast Search & Transfer, revealed Tuesday.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.