Microsoft names Amy Hood as its first female CFO

Microsoft has named Amy Hood as its new chief financial officer, the first time that a female has held the position in the company's history.

Hood will succeed the current CFO, Peter Klein, immediately, though Klein will supervise the transition until the end of June. Hood previously served as CFO of the Microsoft's $24.1 billion Business Division (MBD), where she was instrumental in the acquisitions of Skype and Yammer.

"Amy brings the right talents and experiences to the role as we continue to strengthen our focus on devices and services," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a statement. "She has been an instrumental leader in the Microsoft Business Division, helping lead the transition to services with Office 365 and delivering strong financial and operational management throughout her time on the business."

Hood's other roles at Microsoft include chief of staff for the Server and Tools group, and leader of the strategy and business development team in MBD. She was named CFO of the MBD in January 2010.

"I'm excited to step into this role and look forward to working closely again with our investors and shareholders," Hood said. "Peter has built a world-class finance team, and I am set up well to continue the company's strong discipline around costs and focus on driving shareholder value."