Today Marketing reported that Microsoft UK has appointed Philippa Snare, long-term employee at the company, as its chief marketing officer, which seems to be the final piece in a jigsaw puzzle of a restructure and follows months of turmoil.

Over the past few months Microsoft UK has been rocked by the global restructure lead out of Redwood. Having merged and reorganised departments to separate marketing, advertising and products, Microsoft claims it will be able to grow its market share and continue to innovate.As with any restructure of this scale the past few months has seen the departure of some high profile figures at the company, including Ashley Highfield and Mikah Martin-Cruz in the UK.

According to inside sources, Microsoft, which has seen its portfolio expand beyond its desktop heritage, to online, mobile, gaming and advertising, is fighting on many fronts and the manoeuvre is to keep pace with its rivals – namely Apple and Google.

Snare’s appointment is the only outstanding role to fill under a new structure and by appointing a Microsoft stalwart (Snare has held a number of senior business and marcomms roles since she joined in 2000) it appears that the company has chosen a known quantity as it gears up to embark on its new approach to the business globally.

It is all too easy to write-off Microsoft when placed alongside its ‘cool brand’ competitors Apple and Google – after all Bing, while being accepted as a good product still commands a small share of the search market compared to Google and so far the Windows Phone 7 has yet to gain the traction of the Apple’s iPhone.

But Microsoft is a still very much a heavyweight and its Xbox product has emerged as a  ‘jewel in the crown’ for the company. Given the breakneck speed of change driving the industry there is still all to play for.

Of course, it is too early to see how these sweeping changes at the company will play out, but being bold enough to shake things up at the company to this extent proves Microsoft has the long-term game in mind. There is certainly still life in the old dog yet.