Along with Microsoft chairman and chief technology officer Bill Gates and chief executive Steve Ballmer, Mr Raikes was responsible for developing and guiding Microsoft’s cire business strategy.
The company said it had hired Juniper Networks former chief operating officer Stephen Elop to take over at Microsoft Business Division president, starting at the end of January.
Mr Elop will assume responsibility for the Information Worker, Microsoft Business Solutions and Unified Communications businesses – all previously run by Raikes.
The Server and Tools business will continue to be run by senior vice-president Bob Muglia, but instead of reporting through Raikes will report directly to Steve Ballmer.
Microsoft said Raikes would continue to serve for the next nine months on the Senior Leadership Team to ensure a smooth transition of responsibility.
The appointment of Mr Elop does not represent some kind of generational change. He is 44 compared to Mr Raikes’ 49. But the appointment is a huge step for Microsoft, and represents a fresh set of eyes – and ideas – and the most senior level of management.
While at Juniper Networks, a leading provider of high-performance network infrastructure and a valued Microsoft partner, Mr Elop was responsible for all the company’s product groups, corporate development, global sales and service, and marketing and manufacturing organisations.
Before Juniper, Mr Elop, served as president of worldwide field operations at Adobe Systems, where he was responsible for Adobe’s global sales organisation and all customer-facing functions. He joined Adobe following the 2005 acquisition of Macromedia, where he was president and chief executive.
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