Microsoft mobile exec shuffle: Knook out, Lees, VP of business software in

So it looks like Pieter Knook, SVP of Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business, is out, according to the WSJ. We're not entirely sure why he's retiring (when we met him last year he seemed sprightly enough), but he'll be replaced by Andrew Lees, VP of Server & Tools Marketing and Solutions Group, a man that's spent the last decade on MSDN and TechNet stuff. So, you know, the guy clearly knows the mobile space inside and out. The move comes just in time, too -- what Windows Mobile really needs right now is somebody to come in and make it more business-centric.

[Hawkman @ Feb 14th 2008 3:09AM]

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?

[Nathan @ Feb 14th 2008 4:29AM]

No kidding.

So, you know, Ryan Block clearly knows this guy's abilities and thought processes inside and out.

Give me a break.

I'm pretty sure that whoever made this decision within Microsoft knows better than Ryan Block what is good for the product.

[imec @ Feb 14th 2008 5:00AM]

If you zoom in, you can see SOS etched into their eyelids.

[Ryan Block @ Feb 14th 2008 11:15AM]

Nathan -- or, and I know this is crazy, but hear me out, they elect a mobile technology veteran to the post. Someone who's worked on something (anything?) having to do with creating cellphones in the last ten years.

[brando_commando @ Feb 14th 2008 3:17AM]

look at how creepily similar their smiles are

[iofthestorm @ Feb 14th 2008 3:19AM]

I think all smiles as forced as those two look would look similar.

[Nathan @ Feb 14th 2008 5:00AM]

Someone needs to do a PChop meld of their faces immediately, ala "What if they mated?"

[iofthestorm @ Feb 14th 2008 3:20AM]

Well, businesses generally like things that are efficient, so he might be bringing efficiency to the Mobile division. From what I've heard, WM needs it.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 14th 2008 7:32AM]

They may SAY they like efficiency... but few businesses actually are.

[Darkest Daze @ Feb 14th 2008 9:58AM]

Too true. Bureaucracy and bloat infect companies way too easily.

[Anthony @ Feb 14th 2008 10:53AM]

Nothing says, "we mean business" like buying Danger- the Paris Hilton of phones.

[bob @ Feb 14th 2008 3:25AM]

We can assume he retired because the pressure of having an unnaturally low hairline was too much. Microsoft made the right move by replacing him with a guy with a receding hairline.

[Brian @ Feb 14th 2008 3:31AM]

"I'm too sexy for my..." pocket protector
"... too sexy for my ..." sliderule
"... too sexy for my ..." Boba Fett pajamas

/dream

[supermeerkat @ Feb 14th 2008 3:50AM]

Professor Frink springs to mind, can't think why.

[walvis @ Feb 14th 2008 4:11AM]

Isn't that a picture from VOGUE IT Silicon Valley special februari 1999?
I remember an article "what to wear this summer in your cubicle"

[TI3GIB @ Feb 14th 2008 4:55AM]

Hey Look at that ! .. PC GUY !

[BobTurbo @ Feb 14th 2008 5:07AM]

"Hi, I'm a PC"

"So am I"

[kingu @ Feb 14th 2008 5:25AM]

Talk about extreme makeover, they even changed his name..

[Geir E @ Feb 14th 2008 5:30AM]

I have to say, they got some amazing geek-look going there.

[MJZimmer88 @ Feb 14th 2008 6:12AM]

Major corporation? Executive shuffle? One leaves after making loads of money for no apparent reason? The ship is already starting to sink? Jeff Skilling is hiding under the table? What...?

In the words of Matt Damon, "Maaaaatttt Daaaammmooon!!!!"

[josh @ Feb 14th 2008 8:35AM]

Knook has always been really good at starting a new market for the company but he also has a history of hitting a major slowdown once it starts getting established. You can see that in WM where he really aggressively captured the business market but then failed to move into the consumer market when they should have (there really was no excuse for MS letting Apple get the drop there).

There might be sarcasm abound in the writeup of the replacement, but Lee has done some really innovative things in his previous capacity in terms of growing awareness and engaging developers. He may not specifically have a great deal of mobile experience, but if he is as willing to look for new ideas in mobile he likely will go far.

[Bad Beaver @ Feb 14th 2008 6:24AM]

Good grief. Can you only go up at M$ if you look like one of the silverbacks? Bill and Steve reloaded...

[Nubaeus @ Feb 14th 2008 9:00AM]

I see what you did there you clever Mac aficionado. You replaced the 's' in the abbreviation of MicroSoft and replaced it with a dollar sign. Very unique and clever.

+5 points for you

[Bad Beaver @ Feb 14th 2008 1:06PM]

Your attention to detail is out of this world, kid.

[Abuzar @ Feb 14th 2008 7:25PM]

Bad Beaver, he is probably not a Kid. In fact YOU are acting like one by replacing the S in Microsoft with a dollar sign.

Get a life.

[Bad Beaver @ Feb 15th 2008 3:11AM]

Should I not, rather, get a ZUNE? Like you? You fanboy you?

I cannot believe what a bunch of prissy sissies is to be found here sometimes...

[Abuzar @ Feb 15th 2008 6:58PM]

Where did that come from? I like the Zune, and this happens to be a Gadget blog, am I right? Did I say OMFG GET THE ZUNE !!!111!!!

In fact I would say you are a fanboy by the way you like to attack people for no reason. The Zune comment totally came out of no where.

[Darkest Daze @ Feb 14th 2008 6:32AM]

Hey, he doesn't wear a tie and doesn't have glasses. Maybe he'll be able to bring WM to the masses with a more user friendly interface and the ability to close programs when you actually close them. No more digging through other OS programs just to close down the 20 other programs that only minimized when you hit the X.

[mykeliam @ Feb 14th 2008 8:35AM]

They really wanted the dude from Grandmas Boy, but he was all tied up (bleep, gorkle, pop..)

[Jump Ship @ Feb 14th 2008 9:55AM]

It wasn't a Microsoft Shuffle, it was a Vodafone poach.

[rupaniii @ Feb 14th 2008 10:08AM]

Out: People who look like Bill Gates
In: People who look like Steve Ballmer
Reaction : Priceless

[CanCar @ Feb 14th 2008 10:16AM]

He may not specifically have a great deal of mobile experience, but if he is as willing to look for new ideas in mobile he likely will go far. lasvegashomeshows.com

[kal326 @ Feb 14th 2008 10:31AM]

Huh, wonder how Lees got the job. I would think the only rightful successor to Pieter Knook would have been Beef Curtains VP of Internet and Media entertainment.

[ericdano @ Feb 14th 2008 11:26AM]

These guys look the same.........why is that?

[Chris @ Feb 14th 2008 12:10PM]

You are blind?

[ace_spades @ Feb 14th 2008 12:29PM]

Can we switch out monkeyboy for someone else too?

[Netmaker @ Feb 14th 2008 1:47PM]

The strategy behind MS putting Lees in charge is to leverage Microsoft's developer community as a means of securing mobile application (and hence platform) dominance. And as a means of defending against Google's Android SDK.

[Joe @ Feb 14th 2008 1:42PM]

Having spend recent weeks developing software for Windows Mobile, I can say with confidence is that what it needs is for the development tools to suck much less.

[Tangled @ Feb 14th 2008 1:57PM]

Andy Lees has the business and leadership skills that mobile *business* needs. There will be more than enough time for him to dive into the device space, but this is more about leadership. Plus he has an English accent.

[spencerkerl @ Feb 14th 2008 5:06PM]

*cough gough* ZUNE 3 preparations *cough cough*