Official reports have confirmed that Dr. Mark Rees has been appointed as the new National Technology Officer of Microsoft New Zealand, and the Wellington-based position is to be filled in by him immediately.

It was reported last December by IT Brief that Brett Roberts, the then Microsoft NZ CTO, would be taking his leave from the company by the end of January, mainly due to relocation of his role from Auckland to Wellington.

Due to certain family commitments, Mr. Roberts could not move.

"The NTO position plays a key part in building and maintaining Microsoft’s relationships with myriad organizations, from education and government to media. I look forward to the challenges of this new role and helping to ensure we meet the needs of these groups", said Mr. Rees.

Before becoming a part of Microsoft, Mr. Rees had worked as Lead Architect at Datacom in Wellington.