Microsoft has appointed a new boss to runs its UK operations. Gordon Frazer will become Microsoft UK's managing director on 31 July, after relocating from South Africa, where he served as the software giant's general manager for the last four years.

Frazer replaces Alistair Baker at the helm of Microsoft's UK subsidiary. Baker was appointed to lead Microsoft's UK business in March 2004 and he'll remain with Microsoft after Baker takes over his old job in a new, as yet unspecified, role.

Frazer joined Microsoft South Africa in 1995 and rose through the ranks of its enterprise sales division before eventually taking charge of its operations in the country.

Frazer says he's looking forward to getting stuck into his latest promotion. "I'm pleased to be moving to the UK subsidiary at such an exciting time in Microsoft’s history as we stand poised to launch major new versions of our flagship products, Windows Vista, 2007 Microsoft Office System, and Exchange Server 2007," he said. ®