Microsoft channel chief Rodney Clark departing the company

Microsoft’s latest channel leader, Rodney Clark, is leaving the company for a new executive role.

Nick Parker, Microsoft CVP for global partner solutions, made the announcement in a blog post, stating that Clark will be an executive officer at a publicly traded company that works with Microsoft.

“We are actively discussing Rodney’s successor and expect to have a new leader in place by the beginning of our new fiscal year in July,” Parker wrote. He also noted that while the company knew Clark had other long-term ambitions, this departure’s timing “was sooner than we anticipated.”

Clark, who has been at Microsoft for 24 years, departs as the company and its partner channel are gearing up to adopt a new overarching partner program known as the Cloud Partner Program, which will realign how Microsoft recognizes and rewards partner expertise. It has raised serious concerns among some Dynamics veterans for its lack of nuance and the risk of stripping recognition and benefits from veteran partners.

• Learn more about the impact of the Cloud Partner Program at next week’s Biz Apps Partner Chat featuring Jay McBain, chief analyst at Canalys.

The time surrounding Microsoft’s new fiscal year in July typically brings with it job changes, new hires, and departures at the company, but a channel chief’s departure in that time is more unusual. Parker stated that Microsoft plans have a replacement for Clark by July 1 who they will at their annual partner conference, Microsoft Inspire, on July 19 and 20.