After quietly resigning from Redmond in June, Microsoft veteran Tony Scott has popped up in Palo Alto with VMware.

Appointed to the role of senior vice president and CIO of the business, Scott will manage VMware’s global IT organisation, overseeing the technology systems that support the company’s worldwide business operations.

A respected industry stalwart, Scott brings more than 30 years of experience running global IT operations for leading corporations.

Most recently, and notably, Scott was responsible for security, infrastructure, messaging and business applications for all of Microsoft, including support of the product groups, the corporate business groups, and the global sales and marketing organisation.

Following five years at the Redmond firm, Scott is alleged to have left to pursue ‘personal projects’, announcing the news via his LinkedIn profile.

Yet nearly three months later the CIO Hall of Famer says he is excited to join "an all-star VMware executive team and a tremendous group of IT professionals."

“The software-defined data center provides a tremendous opportunity for IT organisations to become a source of business differentiation as organisations move into the next era of IT.

"VMware provides a tremendous opportunity both professionally and personally as the industry takes on this challenge.”

In his role role, Scott will report to CEO Pat Gelsinger.

“Having a leader of Tony’s caliber join VMware is an example of the talent we are attracting to what is already a world-class VMware team,” Gelsinger says.

“Tony will have responsibility for advancing and protecting VMware information assets, leading a team that is helping VMware meet the IT needs of more than 500,000 customers worldwide.”