IP: Microsoft Vice President Stone Quits After 2 Years in Outsider Relations

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Microsoft should miss her -- she did a great job there and was appreciated
by all of us who interfaced with her. I am sure we will hear more from her
djf
 
Microsoft Vice President Stone Quits
After 2 Years in Outsider Relations
By REBECCA BUCKMAN 
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Linda Stone , the Microsoft
<http://online.wsj.com/mds/companyresearch-quote.cgi?route=BOEH&amp;template
=company-research&amp;ambiguous-purchase-template=company-research-symbol-am
biguity&amp;profile-name=Portfolio1&amp;profile-version=3.0&amp;profile-type
=Portfolio&amp;profile-forma>  Corp. vice president appointed to a new,
high-profile post two years ago to help smooth relations with outsiders and
soften the company's hard-nosed image, is stepping down, Microsoft officials
confirmed Sunday. 

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, who named Ms. Stone to her post
during the height of the company's antitrust troubles in May 2000, said in
an internal e-mail message sent over the weekend that Ms. Stone would depart
March 15. Ms. Stone, in an interview, said she was leaving mainly to spend
more time writing a book and related articles about bigger-picture
technology and cultural trends. She said she felt Mr. Ballmer was committed
to improving relations with outsiders, though the two didn't always agree on
every issue and had some "spirited discussions" about Microsoft's behavior.

Leaving "was a pretty hard decision," said Ms. Stone, 46 years old, a
well-known technology-industry figure who worked in Microsoft's research
department before being appointed to her latest post. "This is a great job."
Previously, she worked at Microsoft rival Apple Computer
<http://online.wsj.com/mds/companyresearch-quote.cgi?route=BOEH&amp;template
=company-research&amp;ambiguous-purchase-template=company-research-symbol-am
biguity&amp;profile-name=Portfolio1&amp;profile-version=3.0&amp;profile-type
=Portfolio&amp;profile-forma>  Inc.

The creation of the job -- and Ms. Stone's outsider status in the role --
were considered significant because it reflected a philosophical shift on
the part of Microsoft, and particularly Mr. Ballmer, to pay more attention
to how the company's often-tough business practices were perceived by
outsiders. 

Ms. Stone's departure doesn't mean the company's priorities in that area are
changing, a Microsoft spokesman said. Though it is unclear if Microsoft will
replace Ms. Stone or divide her responsibilities among other executives,
"the work that she is doing is certainly going to continue," the spokesman
said. Ms. Stone's official job title was vice president of corporate and
industry initiatives, a job that essentially made her a Microsoft ambassador
at industry events and a more neutral liaison with other technology
companies. 
Many competitors, however, continue to complain that Microsoft doesn't
always treat business partners fairly. Some of those issues are being
discussed now in a courtroom in Washington, D.C., where nine states continue
to pursue antitrust claims against the company. A trial on the states'
remaining issues is scheduled for next month.

But Mr. Ballmer, in his e-mail, praised Ms. Stone's "tremendous
contributions," citing her work organizing Microsoft's presence at the
recent World Economic Forum and bringing controversial speakers to the
company's Redmond, Wash., headquarters. Lecturers included university
professors David Farber, who testified against Microsoft at its antitrust
trial, and Lawrence Lessig, who helped the case's original trial judge sort
through some technology issues.

Ms. Stone said she felt people at Microsoft "have really appreciated the
steps that I've taken," and that Mr. Ballmer gave her "a lot of latitude."
Ultimately, however, the demands of writing and doing her Microsoft job
proved too time-consuming, she said.
Write to Rebecca Buckman at rebecca.buckman () wsj com
Updated February 25, 2002



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