Microsoft News Tracker

According to John Letzing at Marketwatch, Microsoft’s acquisitions point man, Bruce Jaffe, is departing:

Microsoft Corp. confirmed Wednesday that Bruce Jaffe, an executive charged with overseeing the software giant’s mergers and acquisitions strategy, will be leaving the company at the end of February.

Jaffe, vice president of corporate development at Microsoft, has been charged with overseeing key acquisitions at a time when the company has sought to buy its way further into strategic Internet and advertising markets to compete with surging rival Google Inc.

“Bruce’s contribution to Microsoft’s growth is much appreciated and we wish him well in his next endeavor,” Microsoft spokesman Bill Cox said in an email. Cox did not respond to questions about why Jaffe is leaving, or what his plans are for the future.

A Bloomberg report suggests that Jaffe “is leaving as the largest software maker gives individual unit leaders more control over deals.” I would also have to observe that Microsoft’s acquisitions haven’t been an unmixed blessing.