Microsoft has confirmed the role changes for two of its executives, Judson Althoff and Jean-Philippe Courtois, with Althoff now set to lead a “unified” global business group for the cloud technology giant.

Starting July 1, Althoff “will lead a unified global business organization focused on empowering customers and partners,” Microsoft said in a statement provided to CRN.

The global business organization will bring together Microsoft’s global sales and marketing organization, previously led by Courtois, and the company’s global business operations, previously led by Althoff, GeekWire reported.

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Althoff, who served as executive vice president of global business for Microsoft, will hold the title of executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Microsoft said.

Ric Opal, Principal and National GTM and Head of Strategic Partnerships at BDO Digital, a Microsoft Gold Partner, said that Althoff and Courtois have done well together at Microsoft, but “having one person at the helm will improve organizational clarity and will allow better customer and partner success. “

“Partners Microsoft and Microsoft will benefit from Judson’s approach to the market and partners,” Opal said.

Meanwhile, Courtois, who served as Executive Vice President and President of Global Sales, Marketing and Operations at Microsoft, will hold the title of Executive Vice President of National Transformation Partnerships.

Courtois will assume a new role “engaging more directly in cloud and AI technology, leading our national transformational partnerships around the world, providing continued leadership to our global team members, and pursuing philanthropic interests aligned with both about the company and his personal interests, ”Microsoft said in its statement.

Courtois has worked at Microsoft for 37 years, according to GeekWire.

Althoff joined Microsoft in 2013. He was previously senior vice president of global alliance and integrated channels and sales at Oracle.

Matt Scherocman, president of Interlink Cloud Advisors, based in Mason, Ohio, a Microsoft Gold partner, said the move shows Microsoft is thinking more about how its U.S. and international businesses fit together.

“I think it makes sense to unify sales operations and strategy under one leader, especially as the economy increasingly operates on a global scale,” Scherocman told CRN.

The role changes come at a time of global expansion for Microsoft. For example, during the company’s last earnings call in April, CEO Satya Nadella touted Microsoft’s operation of “more data center regions than any other vendor, including new regions in China, Indonesia,” in Malaysia and the United States ”.

“Azure has always been hybrid by design, and we are accelerating our innovation to meet customers where they are,” said Nadella.