By Sonya Rabbitte, 8 May 2000 15:59
NEWS Microsoft executives have drafted in a new recruit to counter the wave of criticism currently engulfing the software giant. Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, has created the position of vice president of corporate and industry initiatives, a role aimed exclusively at improving the company's corporate image. Ballmer has appointed a current Microsoft employee, Linda Stone, to the position. Her prime directive is to examine how the company can improve relations with partners and competitors. Stone, formerly with Apple and now director of a Microsoft research group, will survey Microsoft employees, software developers, business partners and competitors, before presenting her findings to Ballmer and establishing an action plan. A spokesperson for Microsoft UK told silicon.com the new appointment was a reaction to the recent court decision, and criticism over last week's 'Love Bug' virus which targeted Microsoft Outlook email software. "The long term strategy of this move is to understand how customers, partners and users view Microsoft and to make it a more responsible player in the market," she added.
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