David Gurle, head of the Microsoft Corp. team that is developing the real-time communication platform codenamed Greenwich, is leaving Microsoft to join Reuters Group, one of the early beta customers of Greenwich. He will serve as Reuters executive vice president and global head of collaboration services effective April 1.
Gurle had been director of program management, real-time communication at Microsoft, where he led the product teams for Greenwich, Exchange IM(instant messaging), Exchange Conferencing Server, Windows Messenger, NetMeeting and the Microsoft Telephony API. He first joined Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., in 1999 from VocalTec Communications, where he had been vice president of business alliances.
At Reuters, Gurle will be tasked with leading the global team responsible for the business and technical aspects of Reuters Messaging product development, deployment and service initiatives.
Reuters was an early adopter of Greenwich, the codename for Microsofts real-time communications technology. Reuters provides instant messaging and other collaboration services to its financial trading customers.
“The addition of David to our team is truly a reflection of our solid, long-term working relationship with Microsoft,” said Peter Moss, global head of product management at Reuters. “David brings a tremendous amount of directly relevant experience and contacts to further the growth of Reuters Messaging and collaboration initiatives in the financial services industry.”
Gurle indicated in a statement said that he was looking forward to working with an industry at the forefront of deploying IM technologies.
“I see a tremendous opportunity to … further develop the true innovations of real time communications and collaboration for the financial industry,” he said, in the statement. “With the growing acceptance of Reuters Messaging, Reuters is extremely well positioned to provide collaboration services that meet the specific needs of the financial community.”
Microsoft officials could not be immediately reached for comment on Gurles departure.