Microsoft's LinkedIn Deal is "Next Step Forward" for Office 365, Dynamics, Says Nadella

Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, or $196 per share, the company announced today.

In announcing the deal, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella noted Linkedin's continued growth, broad professional user base, and the potential for greater alignment with Office 365 and Dynamics.

"The LinkedIn team has grown a fantastic business centered on connecting the world's professionals," Nadella said in a statement. "Together we can accelerate the growth of LinkedIn, as well as Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics as we seek to empower every person and organization on the planet."

In a letter to employees, Nadella, repeatedly tied the purchase to the opportunity to expand both Office 365 and Dynamics. He wrote:

The opportunity for Office 365 and Dynamics is just as profound. Over the past decade we have moved Office from a set of productivity tools to a cloud service across any platform and device. This deal is the next step forward for Office 365 and Dynamics as they connect to the world's largest and most valuable professional network. In essence, we can reinvent ways to make professionals more productive while at the same time reinventing selling, marketing and talent management business processes. I can't wait to see what our teams dream up when we can begin working together once the deal closes, which we expect will happen this calendar year.

Kurt DelBene will lead the overall integration efforts at Microsoft in close partnership with Qi Lu and Scott Guthrie, Nadella wrote.

Just how those connections will change is unknown. For now, LinkedIn "will retain ...