Windows 8 executive leaves Microsoft, replaced with Windows 7 lead engineer

Microsoft has announced that Steven Sinofsky, the executive responsible for the company’s new Windows 8 operating system, is leaving the company effective immediately.

According to ComputerWorld, Microsoft has decided to promote Windows 7 lead engineer Julie Larson-Green to fill his position, leading to speculation in the tech press that the company could be dissatisfied with the new operating system or its early sales.

A blog on All Things D also alleges growing tensions between Sinofsky and other senior Microsoft executives who didn’t see him as a “team player”, although Microsoft officially maintains that the decision was entirely mutual.

“It is impossible to count the blessings I have received over my years at Microsoft. I am humbled by the professionalism and generosity of everyone I have had the good fortune to work with at this awesome company,” Sinofsky says.

The news comes a little over a month after Nokia dumped its vice president of product marketing, Ilari Nurmi, ahead of the launch of the company’s flagship Windows Phone 8-based Lumia 920 smartphone. Nurmi left the company in shrouded circumstances amidst intense industry and investor criticism of the company’s Windows Phone 8 strategy.

Nokia later described its first Windows Phone 8 devices as a “step in the journey”.

Sinofsky’s departure also comes less than a month after senior Apple designer Scott Forstall resigned after taking the blame for the company’s flawed Apple Maps launch.