Microsoft's Gavriella Schuster Now CVP of Worldwide Partner Group

Microsoft has named Gavriella Schuster its new Corporate Vice President for Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Group (WPG). Previously, she had served as the group's general manager, but stepped in as interim chief in May when Phil Sorgen, who was in the CVP role previously, recently accepted a new role at Microsoft as corporate vice president of the US Enterprise and Partner Group.

Promoting Schuster from within the WPG likely provides a much-needed dose of stability for partners who are adapting to the company's full-steam-ahead cloud first/mobile first direction. Schuster was a very active second-in-command to Sorgen, often acting as the voice of the group and even delivering keynotes at two past WPCs.

Schuster, a 20-year veteran of Microsoft, said in a statement:

There has never been a more exciting time to help our partners capitalize on the explosive demand for cloud services. Our partners are vital in helping us deliver on our promise to customers, and I'm deeply committed to helping them build successful businesses in support of our mutual customers.

Microsoft credits Schuster with having successfully managed and deployed program and product initiatives as well as licensing, pricing and go-to-market strategies. "During her tenure she has delivered consistently high business growth through the commercial segments, ranging from small businesses to global enterprises," Microsoft said in a statement.

"Through all of her experiences, partners have been at the core," as Microsoft describes. Schuster has led sales and marketing teams across the Server and Cloud business, the Windows Client Commercial business, Enterprise Services, licensing sales and marketing, field business development, training initiative development, segment marketing, worldwide partner marketing ...