CRAIG MUNDIE is chief research and strategy officer of Microsoft Corp., reporting to CEO Steve Ballmer. In this role, he oversees Microsoft Research, one of the world's largest computer-science research organizations, and is responsible for Microsoft's long-term technology strategy. Mundie also directs a number of technology incubations, and works with government and business leaders around the world on technology policy, regulation and standards.
Mundie has spent much of his career building startups in various fields, including supercomputing, consumer electronics, education, healthcare and robotics. He joined Microsoft in 1992 to create and run the Consumer Platforms Division, which developed non-PC platforms such as the Windows CE operating system; software for the Handheld PC, Pocket PC and Auto PC; and early console-gaming products. Mundie also started Microsoft's digital-TV efforts, acquiring and managing its WebTV Networks subsidiary, and built its fast-growing healthcare solutions business.
Prior to his current role, Mundie served as Microsoft's chief technical officer for advanced strategies and policy, working with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates to develop the company's global strategies around technical, business and policy issues. Another long-standing focus for Mundie is privacy, security and cyber-security. He initiated Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing initiative, which has leveraged new software-development practices to significantly improve the security of the company's products.