Almost a year after Steven Sinofsky assumed the responsibility of leading the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, the 20-year veteran of the company has been promoted as the President of the Windows division. An announcement to the effect was made by Microsoft on July 8.

In his new role as the Windows Division President, Sinofsky, who has held various posts at Microsoft ever since joined the software biggie in 1989, will be responsible for the Windows business, including the engineering as well as marketing functions for Microsoft's core properties - Windows, Windows Live and Internet Explorer.

Sinofsky's job responsibilities become all the more important as his appointment comes just a few months ahead of the scheduled October 22 launch of Windows 7 operating system, which Microsoft is heavily banking upon to somewhat undo the company's Windows Vista fiasco.

In his statement pertaining to Sinofsky's new appointment, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said: "The work that Sinofsky and the engineering team have done in getting ready to ship Windows 7 really defines how to develop and ship world-class software."

Among a couple of other announcements made by Microsoft on Wednesday included "additional responsibility for marketing" to be undertaken by Tami Reller, the present CFO for the Windows division; and a "new leadership role" to be assumed by Bill Veghte later this year.