Microsoft chief software architect Ray Ozzie will visit Israel next month, just over a year after the last visit by top executives of the company. Ozzie effectively replaced former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, and serves as chief software architect at the company.
This will be Ozzie's first visit to Israel. He will be a guest of Microsoft Israel's R&D center and will give the keynote address at the company's Think.Next Conference in Tel Aviv.
Ozzie joined Microsoft in 2005, following its acquisition of his company Groove. His first job at Microsoft was chief technology officer. When Gates announced his pending resignation in 2006, his role was dividend between Ozzie, who received the strategic-technology side as chief software architect, Craig Mundie who became chief research and strategy officer, and CEO Steve Ballmer.
During his visit to Israel, Ozzie, along with other visitors from Microsoft, will be exposed to a large number of technology ventures, mostly at the Think.Next Conference. Microsoft Israel said in today's announcement that Ozzie will give out prizes and awards to outstanding developers who will present their products at the conference.
Microsoft Israel, run by Microsoft corporate VP and head of Israel R&D Moshe Lichtman, has 600 employees, following a series of acquisitions over the past three years. The company said, "The visit will be a technological experience for both the R&D Center and the Israeli high-tech community."
Microsoft is not the only company due to send top executives to Israel over the coming month. Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq: ORCL), which has become the world's most interesting software company following the announcement of its acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), will also be making a state visit. Oracle president Safra Catz will visit Israel in June to attend a company conference. This is not the first visit by Catz, an expatriate Israeli who has family here.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 18, 2009
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