Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has completed settlement of its tender offer for Fast Search & Transfer ASA, a leading provider of enterprise search solutions. Microsoft�s plans to acquire FAST were originally announced Jan. 8, 2008. FAST will operate as a Microsoft subsidiary, with a dedicated enterprise search research and development center in Oslo, Norway, and offices throughout the world.

�With our companies combined, we�ll be uniquely able to offer customers what they�ve been telling us they want most � a strategy for meeting everything from their basic to most complex enterprise search needs,� said Jeff Teper, corporate vice president for the Office Business Platform at Microsoft. �I�m incredibly excited to have the talented team from FAST joining us.�

John Markus Lervik will transition from his role as FAST CEO to become Microsoft�s corporate vice president of Enterprise Search, reporting to Teper. Under Lervik�s leadership, the group�s charter will include the development of a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise search offerings, including Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express, search for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and FAST ESP, and future delivery of a single enterprise search platform.