Microsoft seeks UK marketing boss

Microsoft is searching for a UK marketing director, following the promotion of Oliver Roll to a position overseeing the company’s marketing in East Asia.

Roll, who oversaw the UK launch of Windows XP last October, will leave on August 1. He says: “It was a tough decision for me because I love the UK job. But this is a very rare opportunity which was too good to refuse. Asia Pacific is the biggest area of growth globally for Microsoft.” Roll will be based in Hong Kong.

Roll leaves the post after a year. Formerly director of enterprise marketing, he was promoted last June to what was a newly created role. Previously, Roll had shared senior Microsoft UK marketing responsibilities with Shaun Orpen – former director of corporate marketing.

Orpen left Microsoft last July to become a marketing consultant. He has now joined IT company, The Neverfail Group, as global marketing director.

Roll’s replacement will oversee six UK divisions – productivity marketing, server marketing, enterprise marketing, partner marketing, corporate affairs and marketing services – as well as a team of 80 people.

Microsoft has a roster of 20 ad agencies. It poached Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper client services director Adrian Simons last July, to fill the post of director of advertising for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (MW July 5, 2001).

In March, the company launched a £5m UK campaign through McCann-Erickson to promote its business software.