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Another ex-Windows Phone exec lands at Amazon to work on 'something secret'

Amazon has hired at least three key former Microsoft execs that worked on Windows Phone in recent months.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer

Charlie Kindel, a former Microsoft executive responsible for building Windows Phone 7, is joining Amazon to build a team of mobile developers to work on "something secret".

Kindel, who left Microsoft in 2011 after 21 years with the company, announced his move to Amazon in what turned out to be a partially true April Fool's Day press release stating that "Amazon presented me an opportunity to build a bold and audacious new business".

Exactly what Kindel is working on at Amazon is secret, but it's unlikely to be the "Amazon Kindle Charlie home server" he jokingly mentions in the press release, nodding to a former role he held as Microsoft's general manager for Windows Home Server.

Kindel updated his current Amazon title on LinkedIn as "Director, something secret". His profile on the social networking site notes he is hiring cloud and mobile developers and testers, program managers and product managers.

Kindel, who has acted as CEO of BizLogr, a startup he founded after leaving Microsoft, joins several former senior Windows Phone execs that have made the move to Microsoft's Seattle neighbour, including former Windows Phone director Robert Williams who joined Amazon in July last year amid rumours that it was to embark on a mission to challenge Google and Apple in smartphones.

Williams joined Amazon shortly after Brandon Watson, former head of the Windows Phone developer experience, joined the company. Williams is Amazon's Appstore director, while Watson is responsible for Kindle software product management.

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