Thaindian News

Bangalore, Feb 10 (IANS) Ravi Venkatesan Thursday resigned as Microsoft India chairman and corporate vice president to “pursue other opportunities” after a seven-year stint with the global software major. “Venkatesan, who decided to pursue opportunities outside Microsoft, will partner with our international president Jean-Philippe Courtois for a smooth transition till a new successor is named soon,” the company said in a statement.

Announcing the leadership transition in its India operations, the company said marketing head Sanket Akerkar will be in-charge of overall sales, while Hemant Sachdev would continue to lead consumer and online business.

“Ravi came to Microsoft India at a critical time. He has architected our growth, making India among the fastest growing markets for us. His stewardship of our six business units has been critical for investments we made in the country,” Courtois said.

As the largest human resource base outside the US, Microsoft’s Indian subsidiary has about 5,300 employees in its software development campuses in Bangalore and Hyderabad besides 13 offices across the country.

“It has been a privilege for me to work with a company that impacts billions of people across the world with its products and services, and to be part of an industry that has shaped how the world views India,” Venkatesan said.

The company’s six business units, including research, product development, consulting services, sales and marketing services, Microsoft IT, and global technical support services represent the company’s complete product lifecycle.

The best part of the seven years has been the opportunity to work with some of the brightest people and iconic leaders like Bill Gates,” Venkatesan noted.