Don Mattrick’s replacement at Microsoft will likely be promoted from within, and could take some time to appoint, an analyst has told us.
The former head of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment business was confirmed at the new Zynga CEO earlier this week, but the surprise move wasn’t a result of the fierce critcism Xbox One has endured, Ascendiant Capital Markets’ senior research analyst Edward Woo told us.
“I think this was more about the Zynga opportunity than Microsoft’s performance,” he said. “At Microsoft, Don was a head of a big division, but at Zynga he is the top dog of a much smaller company. Being top dog is the goal of many executives.”
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s farewell letter states that, for the time being, Mattrick’s direct reports would now answer to him – so a quick replacement is unlikely, says Woo. “I think they just want to have the perception of stability as they head into one of their biggest product launches this holidays. I think finding the right leader is important so they’ll be sure to take their time.”
Commenting on the possibility of the Interactive Entertainment division being swallowed up as part of a much-rumoured restructuring at Microsoft, Woo added:
“The goal is to be better integrated, but Xbox cannot lose its focus as a gaming machine first, so they’ll need somebody who can balance the gaming and overall company goals. I think there’s plenty of talent at Microsoft so I think it will be an internal hire.”
We offered our own thoughts on what Mattrick’s move to Zynga means for Microsoft earlier this week.
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