Microsoft taps LinkedIn's Kevin Scott as new CTO

How important is LinkedIn to Microsoft's future? One interesting sign is that chief executive Satya Nadella just tapped Kevin Scott, LinkedIn's vice president of infrastructure, to be Chief Technology Officer — of Microsoft.

“We are thrilled that Kevin will bring to Microsoft his unique expertise developing platforms and services that empower people and organizations,” Satya Nadella said in a statement. “Kevin’s first area of focus is to bring together the world’s leading professional network and professional cloud.”

The CTO role is newly created, but his mandate seems clear: Help make the Microsoft and LinkedIn merger not only go smoothly, but make the connections run deep.

One of the big departures from Microsoft custom under Nadella is giving lots of responsibility to employees relatively new to the company — a marked departure from the Gates and Ballmer years that often placed loyalty and longevity above all else. The change in style has irked some traditionalists, but has also helped Microsoft tap some key talent in unexpected places, such as Xamarin.