“Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said Kevin Johnson, the executive in charge of its Windows and Web operations and an instrumental player in the company’s failed $47.5 billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc., is leaving the company,” Jessica Mintz reports for The Associated Press.
MacDailyNews Take: Exits. Flees. Pushed from. Whatever.
“After a short transition, Johnson will step into the role of chief executive officer at Juniper Networks Inc., a networking hardware maker, according to a person familiar with the situation,” Mintz reports. “The person asked not to be named because Juniper had not yet announced Johnson’s appointment.”
“Johnson, who joined Microsoft in 1992, has been the public face for the company’s search and online advertising strategy, meant to help the company catch market leader Google Inc., since starting the job,” Mintz reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Good job there, Kevin. 
Mintz continues, “Over the last year, as it became clear that Microsoft’s internal search and advertising efforts were not propelling the company forward fast enough, Johnson was at Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer’s side while Microsoft attempted to buy Yahoo outright and, when that failed, to buy the Silicon Valley icon’s search operations.”
“Last week, Microsoft said its online business lost $488 million in the quarter, more than double its year-ago loss, and announced hundreds of millions of new spending to try to turn the operations around,” Mintz reports.
Full article here.
Ina Fried reports for CNET, “In a statement announcing Johnson’s departure, Ballmer praised Johnson’s contribution to the company. ‘Kevin has built a supremely talented organization and laid the foundation for the future success of Windows and our Online Services Business. This new structure will give us more agility and focus in two very competitive arenas,’ Ballmer said. ‘It has been a pleasure to work with Kevin, and we wish him well in the future.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Cue flying chair.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division (PSD) will be split into two groups: Windows/Windows Live and Online Services, with both groups reporting directly to CEO Steve Ballmer. Johnson “will work to ensure a smooth transition,” according to Microsoft’s press release.
MacDailyNews Take: Make that “chairs” (plural). As in: Cap’n Ballmer’s up on deck rearranging ’em. Again.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “MrKruser” for the heads up.]