Microsoft Reorganizes U.S. Partner Group

On the eve of its Worldwide Partner Conference Microsoft is reorganizing its U.S. channel partner organization, splitting it into two "centers of excellence," the company said Wednesday. Microsoft said maximizing the profitability of its channel partners and making it easier for partners to work with the company were the reorganization's goals.

As of July 1 the U.S. Partner Group (USPG) is being realigned into two organizations: Partner Business Development & Sales and Partner Strategy, Marketing & Programs.

A Microsoft spokesperson said the reorganization is due, in part, to the fact that the U.S. partner ecosystem has grown from 140,000 to 500,000 partners over the past two years. Partners' evolving business models as Microsoft moves to a software-as-a-service model, what Microsoft calls "software plus services," was also cited as a reason for the changes.

Vice President Robert Deshaies, who has managed USPG since July 2006, becomes vice president of the Partner Business Development & Sales organization.

The Partner Strategy, Marketing & Programs organization will be managed by Vice President Cindy Bates, who has been general manager of Microsoft's U.S. Small Business Group for four years. Prior to that she spent four years in Microsoft's Corporate Development and Strategy organization.