I'm leaving....

I've not really kept this one much of a secret. Anyone who talks to me regularly will know this already - but I guess I better announce it officially. I'm leaving Microsoft Australia like so many others from Australia to join Microsoft Corporation in Redmond USA.

I will be starting there (hopefully with visa pending) sometime in July as Program Manager in the Windows Server Group Policy team. I say hopefully as this all depends on the US Dept of Immigration...:) The common question though is what does a Program Manager do? The primary goal of the role essentially is to take in feedback from a variety of channels about the current products, turn those into validated scenarios that the majority of people would want, turn those into designs and requirements and then project manage them with a great dev and test team into an outcome. That's very roughly it I think :)

Its been something that has been a dream of mine for a long time now that I have wanted to be a part of the product team actually being involved in building software rather than just showing off all the great work our teams do.

But just because I'm joining a product team now doesn't mean I wont be blogging or using this blog to gather your feedback on some of the potential scenarios I will be working on. I need your help and your feedback to tell me where we can improve and exactly what you want done to make the next versions of our products even better.

So its hello to the USA - where federal income tax is at least 12% less than the tax rate of Australia (for me anyway...), interest rates are half the rate of Australia, petrol is half the rate of Australia, cars are half the price of Australia...so there's much goodness to be had (For those not in Australia: Australia is very expensive to live and to try and actually keep some of the money you work hard for)

At the same time its goodbye to Perth and our friends and family (thank goodness I can escape the heat now!) and goodbye to Microsoft Australia and all the people who have attended events that I've been involved in. Thankyou! I've certainly enjoyed being able to present to all of you and hopefully every now and then you might have learnt something in one of my sessions - I hope to see you all again when I eventually come back to Australia some time in the future - or at least some event they let me come and present at!

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Thanks all - I appreciate the kind words. I really have enjoyed being in this role and being able to spend time talking to you about all the latest and greatness stuff. Thanks so much - I will miss you all. Brad - nope wont be at TechEd though you will see the result of one of my ideas around the Technology of TechEd track. Cameron - thanks again! Glad to hear youre enjoying GP Preferences! Ill let my new team know about it! Please give any feedback over extra things you might want in it. James - my job will likely not be offered back in Perth. Its likely to move to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. Youre about the 20th person to ask me for my job :) (and it is a very cool one too!)

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Following Kleefy 's not so unexpected announcement , I've taken over the Technology of TechEd Track for

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  It’s that time of year - The old financial year ends and a new financial year begins. It’s the time we

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Thanks Dugie...the heartbreak will be selling my current 748...<tears welling up>

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Welcome to the US.  The Windows team gets a great new employee.

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  Sorry to see you leave Microsoft Australia and Perth. Congratulations on your new appointment!

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  All the best mate, keep on bloggin'

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Congratulations Mate.  One day you will have to come back for a visit, so you and I can do the "Great Ocean Road" on Ducatis!!

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Very sad to loose one of Perth's own...we need some more local representation!! Good luck in the US and don't be a stranger or forget little old Perth. Anthony

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Congratulations Kleefy!  Good luck with the new move. Continue the blogging :-)

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Awesome work Mr Kleefy. It's kind of weird now to think that Chuck, David, Frank, You and Me are sitting in Corp now! :) Let me know when you hit state side and I'll sync up a coffee and share some of my new found move wisdom!

Scott Barnes Product Manager Microsoft.

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Great work Kleefy. I'll see you over there too soon :) Good luck with the visa process - happy to offer advice.

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Congrats Michael! Sounds like an awesome opportunity... Please keep up the great work on this blog. Does this mean that you wont be presenting at Tech Ed? You did a fantastic job at the Heroes Happen event.

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  big move kleefy! see you soon.

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Congratulations Michael! You will be missed. You would easily be one of my favorite presenters here in Australia. Your demo's have been great. I've spent the last few weeks using GP Preferences and Group Policy more as a result of your w2k8 demo. All the best in the USA and good luck. Regards, Cameron McBride

• Anonymous
  May 21, 2008
  Awesome man, great to hear it! Anyone takers for your Perth job? ;P

• Anonymous
  May 22, 2008
  Michael, Like everyone else thanks for the great demos over the years at both microsoft events & SAGE-AU meetings.  Best of luck with the new position, look forward to all the new wonderful features would will be able to add to the product(s). Cheers ... Ash p.s. I will miss those car rides back to the hotel after, always a great chat. :)

• Anonymous
  May 23, 2008
  You'll be sorely missed on the Aussie tech scene Michael, and I'll miss our CBD dinners :-( But our loss is the State's gain.  Best of luck (not that you'll need it!)

• Anonymous
  May 25, 2008
  The comment has been removed