Microsoft's UK partner boss to leave in June

Joe Macri says he will be 'retiring' from Microsoft

Joe Macri is set to leave his role as Microsoft's UK partner boss in June this year, bringing a 24-year stint with the vendor to an end.

Macri (pictured) was appointed VP of Microsoft's commercial partner division in the UK in July 2017, having held various other senior roles.

In a post on LinkedIn, Macri said he would "retire from Microsoft on 30 June".

"After 24 years, including 13 years in international roles, the time has come to move on to the next stage of my life and career - in Ireland, closer to my family," he said.

"Although I am retiring from full-time employment, I will be pursuing a non-executive career with a variety of technology and not-for-profit organisations, but more on that closer to the summer."

Macri joined Microsoft in 1996 as a sales and marketing manager, and rose to the role of Ireland general manager in 2001. He then had two EMEA roles before taking the UK channel role.

Stuart Fenton, CEO at Microsoft partner QUANTIQ, told CRN that Macri should be praised "driving through changes to Microsoft's channel programme"."Some of these changes were good, others clearly needed more time to evolve," Fenton added. "In my opinion Joe came into the role to bed in these changes and it needed someone strong to do so.""Once these were in, he was unafraid to make changes where these new programs and structures were not working. Initially I found him very very tough - but over time, we built a good relationship that has been mutually beneficial to Microsoft and QUANTIQ. I'll be sorry to see him go, but after 24 years - he deserves a break!"

CRN has contacted Microsoft for comment on the process of appointing Macri's successor.