Key Zune leader to leave Microsoft

SEATTLE (Reuters) -- A senior Microsoft executive who oversaw the launch of its Zune digital music player plans to leave the company, the world's largest software maker said on Wednesday.

Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft's (Charts) entertainment and devices division, also played a critical role in shaping the Xbox game console business and the introduction of its Internet Protocol television software.

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Lee is a key deputy of Robbie Bach, head of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division. J Allard, a rising star within Microsoft and one of the early Xbox leaders, will now take full responsibility for the Zune business.

Lee plans to leave the company in the next several weeks to pursue personal interests, Microsoft said.

Microsoft launched the Zune music player in November. The Zune had a 10.2 percent market share of U.S. December sales of digital music players with hard disk drives, according to research firm NPD.

The company forecasts Zune sales will exceed one million units by the end of June. Microsoft faces a major challenge in grabbing market share from Apple Inc.'s (Charts) dominant iPod digital music player.