Kevin Johnson — whether he jumped or was pushed from his perch at Microsoft — must be breathing easier today, and not because he’s landed the CEO gig at network gear manufacturer Juniper Netwoks effective September.
Johnson’s job at Microsoft, head of the Platforms and Services Group, involved some seriously thankless and frustrating work. He’s the one who had to negotiate, unsuccessfully, a merger with Yahoo. He’s the one who had to turn the Microsoft ship around to face the juggernaut that is Google in the online search and advertising space. While also in charge of the dominant Windows operating system, much of his job must have been a continuous, rhythmic banging of cranium against wall.
Yahoo’s intransigence — you have to think the advertising deal
