Steven Sinofsky is set to gain further control over Microsoft's Windows business, Microsoft confirmed on Wednesday.
Sinofsky will become division president, assuming both business and technical responsibility for Microsoft's flagship operating system, according to Microsoft.
He had been jointly running the Windows business with senior vice president Bill Veghte, with Sinofsky leading the engineering team and Veghte running the business side. Veghte is slated to move to a new, unspecified role within Microsoft.
"Steven Sinofsky has demonstrated the ability to lead large teams that deliver great products," Microsoft chief exective Steve Ballmer said in a statement. "The work he and the team have done in getting ready to ship Windows 7 really defines how to develop and ship world-class software. He is a perfect fit to lead the Windows group."
In addition, Microsoft said that Windows division chief financial officer Tami Reller will take on marketing duties.
Microsoft noted in its press release that the transition of marketing duties from Veghte to Reller will take place after Windows 7 is finalised "in late July" — thereby throwing cold water on rumours that Microsoft would declare the code final in time for next week's Worldwide Partner Conference. Windows 7 is set to go on sale on new PCs and to hit retail shelves on 22 October.
Veghte and Sinofsky had both reported to division president Kevin Johnson, but Johnson left almost a year ago to become chief executive of Juniper Networks.
The announcement also comes within 24 hours of Google confirming that it plans to launch its own Chrome operating system, although the executive move had been in the works for some time.
