By Aaron Ricadela

Redmond's Illustrious Alumni

Earlier this year, former Microsoft (MSFT) executive Paul Maritz resurfaced as a force in the tech industry, becoming CEO of software company VMware (VMW) after several years of quiet work on a startup that was bought by VMware parent EMC (EMC). Maritz joins a long line of ex-Microsoft managers who have used the technical chops and business connections they honed in Redmond, Wash., to cooperate—or compete—with their former employer.

In this slide show, we take a look at influential former Microsoft executives who have moved on to prominent positions at tech companies and investment firms. We left off some executives who were either at Microsoft for a short time (Sonopia CEO Juha Christensen), still move in the company's orbit (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Jeff Raikes), or are retired from the tech industry (former Windows head Jim Allchin).