Microsoft Appoints New Head Of Worldwide Services
Martinez will continue in her role as corporate vice president for the Communications Sector at Microsoft through the end of this year and assume her new duties as corporate vice president of worldwide services on Jan. 5, the company said Tuesday.
In her current position, Martinez worked with telecommunications and cable companies, hosting providers and media organizations to promote their use of Microsoft technology. Before joining Microsoft, she was CEO of a San Francisco Bay area software startup and, prior to that, served as a vice president at Motorola.
Last month, Microsoft had announced that Devenuti, its current worldwide services chief, would retire at the end of the year.
Solution providers keep a close watch on who spearheads Microsoft's services, given the channel's concerns about whether Microsoft's services agenda will enhance or compete with third-party service providers. The Redmond, Wash., company's foray into direct services engagements with Energizer Holdings and XL Capital have raised eyebrows among independent service providers who worry about any vendor -- especially a large one such as Microsoft -- moving onto their turf.
Microsoft has repeatedly tried to assure partners that it isn't trying to compete with them and that it's making these direct services engagements to learn more about customer experiences.