Jo Wickremasinghe has been selected as head of product management, consumer local and mapping, international for Microsoft. Formerly business manager for Microsoft’s Online Services and Windows Business Group, Wickremasinghe will report to Jim Cruickshank, director of mapping, local and shopping, international, with a remit to devise and implement product and marketing plans for Multimap. She…
Microsoft appoints head of mapping
Jo Wickremasinghe has been selected as head of product management, consumer local and mapping, international for Microsoft.
Formerly business manager for Microsoft’s Online Services and Windows Business Group, Wickremasinghe will report to Jim Cruickshank, director of mapping, local and shopping, international, with a remit to devise and implement product and marketing plans for Multimap.
She will be based in London.
Wickremasinghe has over six years experience of working in product management for Microsoft across roles including Windows Live product manager, Hotmail product manager and MSN International operations program manager.
She was responsible for the launch of Windows Live Hotmail in May 2007, overseeing a fast-growing audience and increasing revenues by 34 per cent year-on-year.
She also managed a thirty per cent growth in Windows Live income leading market share in the competitive instant messaging and web email categories.
As business manager for the Online Services and Windows Business Group Chief of Staff, based in Redmond, she worked with the Product Unit General Managers on Windows Live, Search, MSN and Mobile to build the fiscal year 2009 marketing plan and facilitated the development of cross business unit marketing strategies.
Cruickshank said: “Jo Wickremasinghe has first class experience of product management and an excellent network of relationships within Microsoft both in the UK and US.
“She will continue our research into the audience for online maps, location-based services and local information and ensure Multimap.com continues to innovate and develop to provide the most comprehensive service to help visitors make the best use of their time when planning a journey.”
Wickremasinghe added: “Online maps are increasingly popular for people planning trips and Multimap is a leading brand in this sector.
“I will work to ensure we have the best user experience including rich features, targeted local information and tools on Multimap in order to improve our service, increase our audience and increase revenue.
“This role presents a unique opportunity to make a difference to product development on an important area for Microsoft based in London.”
Prior to joining Microsoft in 2002, Wickremasinghe worked as product development manager for WorldCom Inc and worked as project manager at Vodafone before that where she managed several IT and telecoms products and programmes, GSM and internet backbone networking technologies as well as gaining experience in the operational management of global internet portals.
She also spent five years in Aerospace Engineering.
Wickremasinghe has an MBA from the University of Durham, a Postgraduate Certificate in Management Studies from the University of Westminster and a degree in Engineering from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
She becomes head of product management, consumer local and mapping, EMEA with immediate effect and will recruit product managers to work in her team.
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