Microsoft India MD Quits

Microsoft India has lost its managing director Neelam Dhawan to Hewlett-Packard (HP) India. In March 2005, Microsoft Corporation India saw a change of guard with Neelam Dhawan taking over as its managing director, when Rajiv Kaul was promoted as the senior director of Windows Client Emerging Markets Group. The interesting thing here is Neelam Dhawan joined Microsoft India from HP where she worked as the vice president of customer solutions group; now after working with Microsoft India for three and a half years, she is moving back to HP India.

At Microsoft India, Neelam was in-charge of the sales and marketing efforts in India. She was also responsible for growing Microsoft's products and services businesses and played a key role in driving the company's partnerships and strategic alliances. Her last working day at Microsoft India will be 30 June 2008.

Making the announcement, Ravi Venkatesan, chairman, Microsoft India, said, “I am sorry to announce that Neelam Dhawan will be leaving Microsoft to join HP as the managing director of HP India. While I hope that this will only strengthen our relationship with one of our most important partners, we are losing a strong leader who has, over the past three years, helped position Microsoft very strongly in the Indian market. We wish her continued success in all her endeavours.”
Commenting on her decision, Neelam said, “Being a part of the leadership team at Microsoft India has been one of the most rewarding roles of my professional life and the decision to leave was a difficult one to make. I am, of course, excited about my new role at HP and the opportunity it gives me to further strengthen the partnership between the two companies.”