Microsoft appoints Samsung’s Martin-Cruz as UK CMO
Microsoft has appointed Samsung’s top European marketer Mikah Martin-Cruz as chief marketing officer for its UK consumer and online division.
He will be responsible for the marketing the IT giant’s Windows, Windows Phone, Internet Explorer, Windows Live, MSN, Bing brands as well as well as its Microsoft Advertising business.
It is not yet clear whether the position is new or whether he is filling a vacant position. It has been previously reported that Mike Fischer, who held the position of consumer online marketing officer, had left the company.
Martin-Cruz will report directly to Ashley Highfield, Microsoft’s UK managing director, and will join in October.
Microsoft has been marketing heavily to push its Windows 7, Office 2010, Bing and Hotmail brands over the past year.
The company said in July that the launch of the Windows 7 operating system helped lift profit by 48% in the quarter to 30 June.
Martin-Cruz says that overseeing Microsoft’s brands is an “exciting” opportunity “to make sure we communicate these offerings in a compelling way to UK consumers.”
He joins from Samsung where he was European group marketing director.
Samsung says that it will announce Martin-Cruz’s replacement in due course.
Prior to Samsung, he was general manager of marketing at Sony Consumer Electronics.
He has also held senior marketing positions at BT Entertainment, Viacom and Warner Brothers
