Microsoft's Public Sector Chief Leaving For CEO Job In Publishing

Linda K. Zecher, who was named corporate vice president of Microsoft's Worldwide public sector business in February, 2009, will start in her new job at Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on Sept. 19, the company said Tuesday.

Anthony Salcito, vice president of worldwide public sector education, will lead Zecher's team until her successor is named.

"I have a passion for education and have worked in the space from a technology perspective throughout my career," Zecher said in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt statement. "I look forward to combining HMH's rich content and leadership position in the market with technology innovations in education to advance teacher and classroom capabilities around the globe."

Zecher joined Microsoft in 2003 and served in several public sector business management roles, including head of Microsoft's U.S. public sector business and vice president of public sector for the Americas and Asia-pacific, before being named worldwide public sector chief in 2009. That post covered Microsoft's sales in the government, education and healthcare sectors.

Before joining Microsoft Zecher served as vice president of sales and marketing at application developer PeopleSoft, and later as a senior vice president with Oracle, which acquired PeopleSoft in 2005. She also held the post of president at Evolve Corp. until it was acquired.