Microsoft announced Thursday it has hired a new chief information officer (CIO) to replace the one it fired several months ago.
The company terminated its last CIO, Stuart Scott, in early November for what it would only describe as “violation of company policies.”
Replacing him will be Tony Scott, who left the CIO position at the Walt Disney Co. to take the job at Microsoft.
Despite sharing the same last name, the two are not related.
Tony Scott has logged 25 years of experience in global IT, according to a Microsoft statement. Prior to Disney, Scott, who is 56, was previously CTO at GM as well as vice president of operations at Bristol-Meyers Squibb.
In his new position at Microsoft, which begins next month, he’ll report to Kevin Turner, Microsoft’s chief operating officer.
As CIO, he has three basic charters, according to a Microsoft statement. At the top of the list is running Microsoft’s 4,000-person international IT department.
Secondly, the company typically first tests its products out on its own IT systems, so he is responsible for providing key early feedback to product groups.
“Third, we will call upon Tony to connect and collaborate with CIOs around the world to regularly share best practices with our customers and partners,” said his new boss, Turner, in a statement.
In addition to the position of CIO, Scott also will hold the job title of corporate vice president.
The hire comes as a number of Microsoft executives have either left or are planning their exits from the company.
Last week, Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division, announced he plans to leave after more than 25 years at the company.
The same week, the software maker confirmed that Bruce Jaffe, vice president of corporate development, resigned after 12 years at Microsoft.
Earlier this week, the company also confirmed that Rob Short, corporate vice president of Windows Core Technology, left in December.
Of course, these moves also come in the context of company chairman and co-founder Bill Gates’s own imminent plans to dramatically scale back his involvement at Microsoft.
In June 2006, Gates stepped down from the role of chief software architect and announced his intention to leave his day-to-day participation at the company later this year. He will remain chairman following the change.
