14 DAY TRIAL // Although initially Microsoft failed to comment rumors that Blake Irving, corporate vice president of the Windows Live Platform group was retiring this year, the VP himself confirmed publicly his plans. Irving's job description involves building and operating "the most efficient, global Internet-scale services platform with the broadest and most profitable advertiser and developer ecosystem," which is to say... the Windows Live platform. However, Microsoft's Windows Live platform, brand and strategy have been suffering from a lack of focus since its launch.
Blake Irving officially announced his retirement on March 5, 2007. Via an email, he said that one of the ways to blunt out speculations was to confirm them. "After nearly 15 years at Microsoft and 6 years of weekly commuting from California, I am retiring. I've been talking to Kevin Johnson about this since the beginning of the year, and we've been working on a plan that will ensure a seamless transition that we hope will build even better business and technical synergy for Windows Live and MSN. I'm not leaving right away, so I guess "impending" isn't really true," Irving revealed.
According to the Windows Live VP, his retirement won't come into effect until late in the summer of this year. Irving did not disclose the reasons behind his retirement. He only commented that the timing of his stepping down involved both a business and a personal aspect. The vice president is confident that the momentum of the Windows Live platform will not be impacted by his departure. "This momentum and trajectory is self fulfilling now, and doesn't need me to fuel it. Our platform efforts in every group have the critical mass and momentum that I know will make them unstoppable," Irving added.