Skip to main content

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

by Jason Gumpert
Editor, MSDynamicsWorld.com

Microsoft buys LinkedIn 

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 ...

FREE Membership Required to View Full Content:

Joining MSDynamicsWorld.com gives you free, unlimited access to news, analysis, white papers, case studies, product brochures, and more. You can also receive periodic email newsletters with the latest relevant articles and content updates.
Learn more about us here

About Jason Gumpert

As the editor of MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason oversees all editorial content on the site and at our events, as well as providing site management and strategy. He can be reached at jgumpert@msdynamicsworld.com.

Prior to co-founding MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason was a Principal Software Consultant at Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), where he implemented solutions, trained customers, managed software development, and spent some time in the pre-sales engineering organization. He has also held consulting positions at CSC Consulting and Monitor Group.

More about Jason Gumpert