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Microsoft Appoints Maria Martinez as Corporate Vice President of Its Communications Sector

Posted on: Thursday, 25 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the appointment of Maria Martinez to corporate vice president of the Communications and Mobile Solutions Unit of the Communications Sector at Microsoft. In her new role, Martinez is responsible for driving the development of the latest Microsoft(R) solutions and services tailored for wireline and wireless carriers, cable operators, hosters, and media and entertainment companies worldwide. In addition, she leads the organization responsible for the Microsoft MapPoint(R) business unit and the development of location-based services.

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The Communications Sector is part of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Business, one of Microsoft's seven business units, which also encompasses the Mobile Devices Division, the Embedded Devices Group and the Automotive Business Unit. Pieter Knook leads the combined organization, ensuring tight integration and synergy of these important and interrelated efforts.

"Microsoft's commitment is to ensure that Communications Sector customers and partners have access to leading solutions and innovative products to help transform their business," said Knook, corporate vice president of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Business at Microsoft. "Maria's depth of experience in the telecommunications industry will accelerate our ability to deliver compelling network solutions that provide real business value to the communications industry."

Martinez's key priority in her new role at Microsoft is to accelerate the growth of Microsoft's worldwide business in the Communications Sector (encompassing the Network Service Providers group as well as media and entertainment companies). Toward this aim, Martinez brings more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications and software, managing businesses that transformed emerging technologies into market-leading commercial products. This includes an appointment as CEO of Embrace Networks Inc., where she led the development of the company's technical strategy and launched the company's first software platform. She also served as vice president and general manager at Motorola Inc., where she ran the Internet Connectivity Solutions Division and the Digital Cellular Infrastructure Division, and spent 12 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories in a variety of management and engineering roles.

"This is a very exciting time for the communications industry as we are on the eve of a new era of rich media and mobile communications that will deliver a wealth of new services, far beyond traditional voice and Internet," Martinez said. "My goal over the next 12 months is to engage with customers and partners to develop the ecosystem that will make this new era a reality."

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

NOTE: Microsoft and MapPoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.