Microsoft appoints new head of MacBU
updated 03:50 pm EDT, Fri October 31, 2008
New MacBU GM
In the latest staff restructuring at Microsoft, Eric Wilfrid has been appointed to be the new general manager of its Mac Business Unit (MacBU), as announced on the Mac Mojo blog. He will serve as a replacement for Craig Eisler, who has been promoted to a new position within Entertainment and Devices. Eric was one of the original team members of MacBU that helped build Mac software after the unit's inception in 1997.
The leadership of MacBU has changed hands a few times in the past year, but Eric indicated to Macworld that the team was "Stable and focused" despite the transition. "I don't worry about that at all," he said. He also highlighted Eisler's promotion as further evidence of the department's success.
The team members are working on developing the next edition of Microsoft Office for Mac, which is claimed to include support for Visual Basic. Wilfrid also expressed interest in Microsoft's announcement that the next version of Office for Windows will include Internet accessible apps that will work with Safari and Firefox. "It’ll be really exciting to see how the Mac BU can plug into that technology,” he told Macworld
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
You know what...?
"It’ll be really exciting to see how the Mac BU can develop a product that works, before they get sacked”
It's VERY obvious that the MacBU is on the short path to getting 'reduced' - Eisler bailed out to save his career, which is a smart move (especially since he achieved nothing at the MacBU). This is even further corroborated by seeing someone slide into lead position that had been there, essentially since 1997, that hasn't done much of anything since then.
The writings on the wall, kids - particularly since the embarrassment that is Office 2008, which caused the massive diss at MacWorld 2008, from Jobs, and the nuke that is 'Snow Leopard'.
Essentially, Eisler left before Snow Leopard landed, and all that's left behind now is the riff-raff. I predict that in the next 3-4 months, a lot more 'talent' will be leaving the MacBU -- but that won't be reported on here, or if so, it'll be done under the banner of 'economic cutbacks'.
Can't happen soon enough!