Microsoft Loses Third Top Executive In Two Months

In last two months, Microsoft has seen many high profile executives leave in quick succession. In March, Blake Irving, VP in charge of Windows Live platform group, was one of the first ones to call it quits. Christopher Payne, Corporate VP in charge of Windows Live Search, was the next one to follow.

Now, Mary J Foley has reported that Dane Glasgow, general manager for Live Search, is the next one put in the papers. According to her report, “Glasgow helped Microsoft launch Windows Desktop Search and has been part of the team behind the first wave of Windows Live services.”

Satya Nadella, the new search and ad platform chief, announced the latest departure in a intra-company note:

"With the Search team's exit from planning complete, Dane Glasgow has decided to leave Microsoft to pursue non-profit interests and spend time with his family before taking on a new entrepreneurial challenge. Dane has worked in the services business at Microsoft for nearly 8 years, joining the company in 1999 through the acquisition of Jump Networks. During his time at Microsoft, Dane has worked on large scale services like Hotmail and Search as well as clients such as our Toolbar and Gadgets platform. Dane helped launch our Windows Desktop Search offering, worked to deliver our first release of Windows Live, and has been a strong advocate for incubation within the company. I thank Dane for his contributions, and wish him all the best in his future pursuits.
"I am working with my leadership team and Dane's existing directs to identify the right successor. During this time, Dane's team will report directly to me. I have asked Ramez Naam to step in as the interim Director to ensure we streamline decision making and making sure that we stay on track with our Fall Release roadmap."

Slow growth and sliding market shares were part of the Microsoft’s problem already. But given the steady outflow of leadership in the company, internal affairs might soon replace external concerns at Microsoft.

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