IT chief Aitken gets his buzz back after landing key role with Microsoft

HUGH Aitken, one of the biggest names in the Scottish IT sector, is relocating to the US after landing a top job with Microsoft.

Aitken, who opened and ran the Sun Microsystems plant at Linlithgow, is understood to have beaten strong local contenders to land the job as general manager at Microsoft Licensing.

He will have responsibility for the Americas Operations Centre and the manufacturing facility in Humacao, Puerto Rico. He will also have site leadership responsibilities for Microsoft Licensing GP in Reno, Nevada.

He joins Microsoft with more than 30 years' experience in the technology industry, including more than 20 years in senior leadership roles at Sun which was acquired by Oracle Corporation last year. Following the 4.5 billion deal he took on a position in manufacturing and logistics for the combined group.

He spent six years from 2000 as chairman of lobby group Electronics Scotland at a time when "Silicon Glen" was suffering the loss of thousands of jobs as multinationals pulled out or downsized their operations. He took on a number of public roles to help rebuild and refocus the Scottish economy, some of which brought him into conflict with the authorities. In 2002 he resigned from a Scottish Government taskforce on manufacturing after describing attempts to work with the public sector as like "walking through treacle".

Aitken, who takes up his new post tomorrow, opened Sun's Scottish facility in 1990, its biggest operational base outside the US. He built it from a greenfield site to full production in ten months and launched its European distribution centre in four months.

But Sun was forced to end manufacturing in Linlithgow after the Santa Clara-based company ran up losses and staff numbers at the plant were scaled back.

"When I left Sun/Oracle, I wanted to get the 'buzz' back into my work life," he told Scotland on Sunday. "Talking to people in Microsoft, I knew right away that this was a company I would relish working for. I couldn't have written a better job spec for myself. Couple it with the site leadership role and community engagement opportunities. I was totally sold inside 45 minutes."

He was honoured for his services to the Scottish electronics industry and work with charities by being appointed a CBE in the Queen's 2005 Birthday Honours List. He raised more than 1.2 million over ten years.

Aitken has been a driving force behind the annual Sun Microsystems golf marathon, bringing together celebrities, Sun customers, suppliers and executives to raise money for charities benefiting children.