Microsoft loses their Dick

Dick Hardt has left Microsoft. He joined Microsoft in early December, 2008 and was the CEO of Sxip Identity. Dick joined Microsoft shortly after another identity guru – Stefan Brands – came over with Microsoft’s acquisition of Credentica based in Montreal. Funny tidbit that Dick and Stefan joined fellow Canadian Kim Cameron to work on identity at Microsoft. Were the Canadians taking over?
I was taken aback yesterday when I saw the announcement – by Dick – that he had left Microsoft after one year.

Yesterday was my last day at Microsoft. I worked there a year. When I reflect on 2009, I think of it as the Year of Darkness. I only  wrote a couple blog posts. I was inactive in the OpenID community. I did not talk to press or analysts. I gave no public presentations.

I have to say I wasn't shocked. Dick had made significant waves in the community before he joined Microsoft. His “infamous” Identity 2.0 presentation is nearly legendary. If you haven’t seen it you must watch it. I can only imagine how difficult it was for someone who spent lots of time talking to customers, the public, press and analysts to spending no time doing this. I also know how difficult it is to go from a very small company to a company of what, 85,000 employees?

So I’m willing to bet we see more Dick in 2010.

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