Microsoft is losing another senior executive with a long history at the software maker.
Rick Devenuti, senior vice president of enterprise services and IT, will be retiring after 19 years with Microsoft “to focus his attention on his family and consider his next challenge,” a spokesperson told eWEEK in an e-mail statement Oct. 11.
Devenuti is slated to leave the company at the end of December 2006, and Microsoft hopes to appoint his replacement within the next month. That would allow Devenuti to work with his replacement to ensure a smooth transition, the spokesperson said.
Devenuti took over management of the enterprise services and IT group in 2003 when corporate vice president Michael Sinneck abruptly resigned to “pursue opportunities outside of Microsoft.”
Devenuti created a three-year plan for the company and Microsoft is now in the second year of that plan “and remains committed to the strategy,” the spokesperson said.
Devenuti has held a number of management positions during his time at Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., including leading the U.S. Financial Analysis Team and serving as CIO of Microsofts internal IT organization.
He also instituted a program that lets Microsoft manage desktop computers for other companies. That started off with a pilot program with Energizer Holdings, in St. Louis, and was expanded to include XL Capital, in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Another senior Microsoft executive leaving the fold is Jim Allchin, co-president of the Platform Products & Services division. He will depart in January 2007 once Windows Vista is released to consumers.
Chairman and former Chief Software Architect Bill Gates also announced earlier this year that he plans to leave in 2008 the company he founded 31 years ago to focus on his philanthropy work. Gates will remain company chairman.