http://tags.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gawker.com.png http://gawker.com/tag/valleywag/pieterknook http://gawker.com/tag/valleywag/pieterknook This morning, according to Microsoft, Pieter Knook, the company's wireless chief, "retired" after 17 years with the company. "Retiring" sounds so much better than "leaving for a better gig," doesn't it? Knook is actually joining Vodafone to head a new Internet division. He starts March 10. Pieter, next time, why not tell people you're taking a vacation? That would be easier.

]]> http://gawker.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=356725&view=rss&microfeed=true Microsoft will promote Andrew Lees to senior vice president and task him with gaining a stronger foothold for Microsoft in the consumer market for mobile devices. That means taking on Apple's iPhone. According to the WSJ, Lees replaces Pieter Knook, who shuffles into retirement on today's news. Perhaps this is because Knook last year allowed Steve Ballmer to say "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance."

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