Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie has announced that he will soon retire from the company. The executive will remain with the company as he helps with the transition. CEO Steve Ballmer suggests that he will not appoint another Cheif Software Architect for the forseeable furture.
Ozzie joined the company five years ago, becaming one of three Chief Technical Officers. He is credited with creating FUSE Labs/Docs.com, while pioneering the company’s Live Mesh and Windows Azure endeavors.
Before Microsoft, he founded Iris Associates to create the product later sold by Lotus as Lotus Notes. After that he formed Groove Networks. Groove was acquired by Microsoft in 2005.
Ballmer noted in an e-mail distributed to employees that Ozzie will be “focusing his efforts in the broader area of entertainment, where Microsoft has many ongoing investments.”
