Microsoft on Friday made official the promotion of Don Mattrick to president of the company's Interactive Entertainment Business, following the formal retirement of 22-year Microsoft veteran Robbie Bach.
Mattrick, formerly SVP of the Interactive Entertainment Business, will oversee consumer entertainment initiatives at Microsoft, including Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Kinect, Zune Music and Video, Mediaroom, PC and mobile entertainment.
Since joining Microsoft in 2007, the 46-year-old executive has already been up front representing Xbox at various conferences, and has been reporting directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer since July this year. Prior to Microsoft, Mattrick worked his way up the ranks at Electronic Arts before leaving in 2005.
Mattrick takes over the business as Xbox 360's install base passes 42 million globally with over 25 million Xbox Live users, Microsoft said. The Kinect full-body-tracking camera peripheral launches next month, and Microsoft is just coming off of the blockbuster launch of
Halo Reach. The games division is also at work on implementing Xbox Live features into Windows Mobile 7.
CEO Ballmer stated, "Not only is the team ready to capitalize on major momentum with our existing products like Office, SharePoint and
Halo Reach, but they are simultaneously bringing entirely new experiences to market with Windows Phone 7 and Kinect for Xbox 360."
In May this year, Entertainment and Devices president Bach announced he would be
retiring this fall. He originally joined Microsoft in 1988, and said that in his retirement, he'll spend more time with his family and nonprofit work.
The Seattle Times tech and business blog
reported that Bach earned 100 percent of his performance-based bonus worth $1.4 million, plus $5.6 million in stock awards. But by retiring, Microsoft is withholding three-quarters of his stock award this year, or $4.2 million in stock.
As announced earlier this year, Andy Lees is also being promoted to president of the Mobile Communications Business. Kurt DelBene is taking reins as president of the Microsoft Office Division.
