Microsoft this morning named LinkedIn executive Kevin Scott as the Redmond tech giant’s chief technology officer, filling a newly established role and creating a new connection to the business social network that Microsoft acquired last year for more than $26 billion.
“Kevin’s first area of focus is to bring together the world’s leading professional network and professional cloud,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a news release announcing the appointment.
Scott, who started at LinkedIn in 2011, was recently named the company’s senior vice president of infrastructure. He will remain in that position in addition to taking on the larger Microsoft role, reporting directly to Nadella as part of the Redmond company’s senior leadership team.
In the broader role, the company says Scott “will drive strategic, cross-company initiatives to maximize Microsoft’s impact with members and customers.”
A former Google and AdMob executive, Scott is an angel investor and startup adviser, and founder of the Behind the Tech nonprofit.
Microsoft has had CTOs at various points in its history, including well-known former executives Nathan Myhrvold and Ray Ozzie.
