InformationWeek posted a news story that Dave Thompson will step down from his position as corporate VP for Microsoft Online by year's end.

The executive who oversees Microsoft's efforts to port its Office software to the cloud will be gone by the close of 2011, the company confirmed Friday.

Dave Thompson, corporate VP for Microsoft Online and a 20-year Redmond veteran, is retiring, Microsoft said. "He is looking forward to spending time with his family and volunteering with his favorite charities," a Microsoft spokesman said in a statement published by SeattlePI.com.

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