14 DAY TRIAL // Just a few days ago Jim Allchin, the former Co-President, Platform and Services Division at Microsoft has retired following the commercial availability of Windows Vista as was announced since the fall of 2005. And the Microsoft retirement "Wow" season has made another victim. Zune evangelist Bryan Lee has submitted his resignation.
Bryan Lee is, for a few more weeks, corporate vice president of the Entertainment Business at the Redmond Company. As vice president and chief financial officer for Microsoft's Home & Entertainment Group, Lee has been responsible for the company's business strategy related to music, television and video, and of course for the Zune digital media player.
Microsoft failed to bring clarification to Lee's departure and only stated that the VP was leaving the company in order to "pursue personal interests."
"Over the last six years, I've had the luxury of repeatedly asking Bryan to take on greater responsibility and leadership and then watching him deliver," stated Robbie Bach, president of the entertainment division. "I want to extend my thanks to Bryan from the company and from me personally for all of his contributions to Microsoft."
Lee's current role at Microsoft will be transitioned to J. Allard, vice-president of design and development for the company's entertainment and devices division.
The Redmond Company claimed that Lee's departure has no additional motives past the personal aspect, and that it is related in no way with the market performance of Zune. Currently, Microsoft's digital media player accounts for a total of 10% of the US 30 GB media player market and is lagging behind iPod (85% of the market).