Microsoft has decided to take on Apple head-to-head in the retail business, announcing that it has hired former Wal-Mart executive David Porter to spearhead a new retail storefront effort. Porter comes to Microsoft from DreamWorks Animation, but before that spent 25 years at Wal-Mart, where he was eventually VP and general manager of entertainment—and helped Wal-Mart into one of the biggest music and movie retailers on the planet.
“There are tremendous opportunities ahead for Microsoft to create a world-class shopping experience for our customers,” Porter said. “I am excited about helping consumers make more informed decisions about their PC and software purchases, and we’ll share learnings from our stores with our existing retail and OEM partners that are critical to our success.”
