Former Windows guru Steven Sinofsky joins Andreessen Horowitz as board partner

Former Microsoft executive Steven Sinofsky, who left the company in a shakeup last November, has joined VC firm Andreessen Horowitz as a board partner.

Sinofsky — who had most recently been an entrepreneur-in-residence at Harvard Business School and teaching — writes in a blog post today that he will not be a full-time member of Andreessen Horowitz. Instead, his role as board partner means he will “represent the firm on the boards of portfolio companies when the opportunities present themselves.”

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The tech world was rocked when Microsoft announced Sinofsky — the head of Windows development — would leave the company last November only weeks after the launch of Windows 8. But Sinofsky has apparently turned out fine. He will continue teaching at Harvard in some capacity while helping Andreessen Horowitz out as board partner.

Sinofsky writes that Andreessen Horowitz’s values were what attracted him to the firm. He notes:

From the very first time I got to hang out with folks I saw things that reminded me of the values that contribute to all great product (and company) efforts:

1. Team effort – Scalable work that “goes big” requires a lot of people. Being part of a team that works to let each person contribute at their highest level is how the resulting whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

2. Long term – Sustainable efforts take more than one turn of the crank. The commitment to the long term that starts from building strong relationships through supporting entrepreneurs as they create sustainable products and businesses truly differentiates the a16z approach.

Sinofsky said that he has been spending a lot of time between both coasts but will eventually transition to the Bay Area full time.

“I will still definitely explore companies out East but maintain a strong focus on the Bay Area,” he wrote.