Microsoft South Africa's new MD Lillian Barnard. Microsoft South Africa has appointed Lillian Barnard as its new managing director, replacing Zoaib Hoosen who has resigned after nearly five years at the helm of the local operation. Microsoft said that Barnard, the current director for public sector at Microsoft, will take over as MD on 1 March 2018. Prior to joining Microsoft, Barnard served as the chief sales officer at Vodacom and worked for IBM for 15 years, seven of which were at the European headquarters in France and Switzerland, where she held many key positions.