Chris Ward has announced that he is stepping down from one of the country's top media jobs, leaving the position open for a new recruit.
Following a three-month sabbatical, Microsoft's UK commercial director of advertising said he was leaving the company after 13 years.
The software giant is now launching a recruitment process to find a replacement for Mr Ward. Its UK sales director Chris Maples will step into the position until a new post-holder is found.
During his time in the role, Mr Ward was responsible for overseeing all ad revenue as well as setting up and running the MSN website.
Speaking to Media Week, he described his years with Microsoft as "absolutely fantastic" but insisted it is now the right time to move on.
Microsoft's UK headquarters are located in Thames Valley Park in Reading. It also has a central London office on Victoria Street and a Manchester base at the Manchester Business Park.
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