Microsoft bigwig, Raikes, announces retirement

They’re dropping like flies down at Microsoft. . .

After 26 years at the helm, chief of Microsoft’s Business Division, Jeff Raikes, has announced his retirement.

September 2008 will see Raikes step down and Stephen Elop will step up. Elops announced his resignation as Chief Operating Officer of Juniper Networks today. Elop was also CEO of of Macromedia and following the company’s acquisition, head of sales at Adobe.

Raikes joined Microsoft in 1981. Prior to that he was Visicalc engineering manager at Apple.

Raikes will work full time at Microsoft until his retirement in September and he has said he is looking forward to working with Stephen Elop between now and then.

In a interview with cnet, Mr Raikes talked about how the time was right for him to pack his bags.

"Given the success of our business and the depth of leadership we have in place today, the time is right for me to leave the MBD business in the capable hands of our new generation of leaders”

He also spoke about how he “couldn’t be prouder of his team”. Bless ‘im.

Microsoft recently announced that themergers and acquisitions operation, Bruce Jaffe, will be leaving before the end of Q1. Jaffe is to remain in position until the end of February.