In a continuing series of personnel losses, including Li Kaifu (to eBay) and Kai-Fu Lee (to Google), Microsoft today lost another member: Timothy Chen. Microsoft’s China Corporate Vice President (uh…) is said to leave for NBA where he will lead the further development of infrastructure and operations (as if that’s the reason they needed to grab one of the top international exec.)

Microsoft had, of course, stuggled with building important goverment relations ever since they ignored mainland China and instead opened a center in Taiwan - Chinese government never forgot

Mr. Chen, a Taiwan born, certainly comes with a taste for pedigree – previous roles included: VP of Motorola (China), CEO of 21CN Cybernet Corp, and U.S. based Lucent Technologies (then AT&T Inc.). Not to mention his MBA from University of Chicago – a typical story of successful Chinese American returnee.

What about NBA? To make it short, NBA in China is huge. Over 300 million people play basketball - and nearly all of them have high awareness of NBA brand. Of course, in a country where television is not much of a show, NBA Chinese web site plays a key gateway to basketball footage.

Once again, a company that put tremendous resources in building its human capital is falling apart and losing its key leaders in the meantime.

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