Report: Bach and Allard leaving Microsoft
Update: Exec departures confirmed.
Update: Microsoft has confirmed that both men are in fact doing one. Check out their goodbye messages for more.
Original story: Both Robbie Bach and J Allard will be leaving Microsoft according to a leaked memo from CEO Steve Ballmer.
The memo, obtained by Kotaku, thanked both for their work and said that under a new corporate structure games boss Don Mattrick would report directly to Ballmer from 1st July.
Of Bach, currently president of the Entertainment & Devices division, Ballmer said: "Robbie has always had great timing, and is going out on a high note - this has been a phenomenal year for E&D overall, and with the coming launches of both Windows Phone 7 and Project Natal, the rest of the year looks stupendous as well."
He said less about J Allard, although confirmed he "will also be leaving Microsoft". "Given his ongoing passion and commitment to Microsoft, he will remain as an advisor to me, helping incubation efforts, looking at design and UI, and providing a cross-company perspective on these and similar topics."
Microsoft has not confirmed the contents of the memo, but it looks genuine. It would confirm last week's report that Allard was on sabbatical and unlikely to return, along with the Wall Street Journal's earlier assertion that Microsoft was set to shake up its E&D executives.