Yasuyuki Higuchi, Microsoft Japan

While Microsoft is shedding executives (Blake Irving, Chris Payne, David Cole, Martin Taylor in 2006) in the US, Microsoft Japan has recently hired Yasuyuki Higuchi to succeed Darren Huston when he leaves Japan in 2008. You may remember Higuchi from his previous stints at Apple Computer Japan, Compaq Japan/HP Japan, Daiei, and now Microsoft. Stippey is indignant that an ex-Apple exec is now at Microsoft, but I say that is representative of the type of executive this guy is.