Ray Ozzie, who took over as Chief Software Architect (CSA), following the retirement of Bill Gates, has announced that he will be retiring from the role.
Prior to joining, Ozzie was responsible for developing the popular Lotus Notes. He also started a number of successful companies like Groove Networks, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2005.
Considered a visionary in the IT industry, Ozzie's decision to leave Microsoft just five years since joining the company and only four years since being appointed the CSA, has come as a shock.
Ray Ozzie's primary focus during his tenure was to develop a cloud computing strategy for Microsoft, including the Windows Azure programme. With Ozzie departing and with no obvious plans to fill the chief software architect vacancy, Microsoft will have to work quickly to get someone with the same understanding of the business environment.
