Chris Liddell gets his turn on the global stage with a job that has usually been filled by people from within Microsoft. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Chris Liddell gets his turn on the global stage with a job that has usually been filled by people from within Microsoft. Picture / Paul Estcourt

From Matamata to Microsoft. Chris Liddell’s appointment to the number three job - chief financial officer - at Microsoft is a huge coup for the former head of Carter Holt Harvey and for New Zealand’s business image.

Dr Liddell jumped hurdles including a 1 1/2-hour interview with Microsoft founder Bill Gates to grab one of the top jobs in United States business.

He begins his new position at the computer software giant on May 9.

"Obviously it’s a great privilege for me personally but I’d rather stress that this is a great thing for a New Zealander," he said.

"We’re doing great things on the world stage at the moment and I’m just really happy to feel like I fit into that pattern."

The public announcement of the appointment was a day late for Liddell’s 48th birthday but "a nice Anzac Day present".

"I’m in business to really be involved in something like this," Liddell told the Business Herald from Connecticut.

"It’s like a sportsman who’s given the opportunity to play in the grand final on a global stage. It’s scary, but it’s what you spend your life working towards.

It’s 99 per cent exciting."

Liddell will be responsible for Microsoft’s finances worldwide, including accounting and reporting, strategic planning and analysis, treasury, tax, audit and investor relations.

Microsoft has a market capitalisation of about US$280 billion ($384 billion) - swamping the value of New Zealand’s economy which, measured by gross domestic product, is about $115 billion.

"Microsoft is one of, if not the, leading companies in the world in what it does," Liddell said, "and it has a huge amount of significance not just from a technology point of view but in terms of driving productivity and global growth.

"So learning about Microsoft and getting involved in helping shape the strategic agenda is one of the big excitements of the job."

As for Dr Liddell’s salary - "it’s not billions of dollars so you don’t need to get too excited. It’s a well paid, large corporate position over here but really it’s the opportunity it brings me that’s the big deal."

The salary is US$500,000 ($686,000) a year, with the chance to double that through bonuses.

He also receives a welcome package of 50,000 Microsoft shares - which were trading around US$25 each yesterday.