“Microsoft Corp. announced Thursday that former SGI CEO
Richard Belluzzo has joined the company as group vice president in
charge of Microsoft’s Consumer and Commerce Group. …
Consumer and Commerce is the group charged with crafting
Microsoft’s… MSN and WebTV/cable strategies, among other
missions.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Belluzzo was moving
to Microsoft over a week ago; Microsoft officials declined to
confirm his appointment until today.”
“In a conference call announcing the appointment, Microsoft
President Steve Ballmer made it clear Belluzzo’s mission will be to
alter the balance between “fits and starts” that the group
responsible for MSN and other services has experienced.”
“Ballmer conceded the group needed to be more efficient and even
hinted that divestiture of certain service properties was a
possibility. … Ballmer also downplayed reports that Microsoft
would start a tracking stock for its Internet properties.”