J Allard has been given a new role at Microsoft, a blog at ZDnet points out.
Allard, who was responsible for the ideas behind the 360’s Live architecture as a founder member of the Xbox team, and then spearheaded the Zune portable music player, is now Chief Experience Officer, "responsible for the technical architecture and user experiences related to products and services of the Entertainment and Devices (E&D) division", according to the Microsoft corporate bio site.
Microsoft’s bio explains: "Allard works closely with technical leaders across the company to align E&D product teams with Microsoft’s overall services strategy and product architecture, and drives the technical and design agenda to deliver Connected Entertainment experiences for consumers. With a unified approach and his personal passion for the possibilities of digital entertainment, Allard manages the E&D design group and also oversees an incubation team that scouts new opportunities for the division."