Samsung’s vice president of consumer and enterprise services, Gavin Kim, has left the company to join Microsoft’s Windows Phone team.

Kim leaves Samsung to join Microsoft and work closely on the Windows Phone platform. BGR exclusively broke the news on Monday and managed to speak to Kim about his departure. “I will be responsible to help set the future direction for the Windows Phone platform and to accelerate Microsoft’s trajectory to win the hearts and minds of consumers, carriers, device manufacturers, developers and partners,” Kim told BGR. “In my experience, there is an already fervent base of Windows Phone supporters out there and they all get it. They are passionate, and already very vocal about it … so, it is really my new job to make sure we reflect that message clearly in our product and marketing collaborations with all of our partners to create more Windows Phone believers.”

Kim’s departure comes just weeks after Samsung and Microsoft signed an Android patent deal. Microsoft will receive royalties from Samsung’s mobile phones and tablets running Android. Microsoft and Samsung have also agreed to develop and market Windows Phone further. The deal confirmed rumors from July that Microsoft was attempting to chase Android patents from Samsung. The software giant was allegedly demanding that Samsung pay $15 for each Android smartphone handset it manufactures. Reports suggested that the payment would lower to $10 per device in exchange for a closer alliance with Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform.

Microsoft and AT&T unveiled Samsung’s new Windows Phone 7.5 devices at a giant Windows Phone display in New York City on Monday. The Samsung Focus S and Samsung Focus Flash are both available immediately in the U.S. priced competitively.