UPDATE: Report: Departing Microsoft exec Panos Panay set to lead Amazon’s Alexa and Echo business
Panos Panay, the Microsoft chief product officer who oversees the Windows and Devices division, is leaving the company in a surprise departure.
The Redmond tech giant announced the news in an internal email Monday morning.
“After 19 incredible years at Microsoft, I’ve decided to turn the page and write the next chapter,” Panay wrote on X. “I’m forever grateful for my time at Microsoft and the amazing people I had the honor to make products with.”
The longtime Microsoft hardware chief and executive vice president led the company’s unified Windows software and hardware teams.
News of Panay’s departure comes just days before Microsoft hosts an event in New York City on Thursday where Surface and Windows-related announcements are expected. Panay planned to attend the event.
Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft corporate vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, will now lead the Windows and Surface business, according to the email sent by Microsoft executive vice president Rajesh Jha.
Panay joined the company in 2004 as a program manager and rose to prominence in the tech industry as the leader of Microsoft’s Surface hardware business, overseeing the development and launch of various products such as the dual-screen Surface Duo. He also led development of Windows 11.
“Thank you, Panos, for your impact on our products, culture, company, and industry over the past two decades,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. “I’m grateful for your leadership, support, and all you’ve done for Microsoft and our customers and partners.”
Last month, Amazon’s devices chief Dave Limp also announced his departure.
Read the full email from Jha below.
Team,
After nearly 20 years at the company, Panos Panay has decided to leave Microsoft. Panos has had an incredible impact on our products and culture as well as the broader devices ecosystem. Under Panos’ leadership, the team created the iconic Surface brand with loved products. More recently, as the leader of Windows, the team has brought amazing services and experiences to hundreds of millions with Windows 11 on innovative devices including those from our OEM partners. He will be missed, and I am personally very grateful for his many contributions over the years. Please join me in wishing him well.
Moving forward, we will double down on our strategy. These changes will be effective immediately with Panos’ help in the transition.
- Build silicon, systems and devices that span Windows, client and cloud for an AI world. This team will be led by Pavan Davuluri, who will report directly to me. Brett Ostrum, Nino Storniolo, Linda Averett, Ken Pan, Ralf Groene, Aidan Marcuss, Carlos Picoto, Stevie Bathiche, Robin Seiler, Ruben Caballero and Anuj Gosalia will move to report to Pavan with their teams intact. Windows planning and release management will continue to be in this team. Our commitment to Surface and MR remains unchanged.
- Build experiences that blend web, services and Windows for an AI world. To this end, Shilpa Ranganathan, Jeff Johnson and Ali Akgun will directly report to Mikhail Parakhin and form a new Windows and Web Experiences Team, moving with their teams intact.
- Yusuf Mehdi will take on the responsibility of leading the Windows and Surface businesses with our OEM and Retail partners.
In addition, Charles Simonyi, Terri Chudzik and Erin Kolb will join the E+D management teams and Ralf Groene and Mike Davidson will work together on the best alignment on design teams.
We will set up time for an AMA in the coming days to answer questions. Let’s continue to stay focused on executing on our existing plans. Thank you for all that you do, and the impact that you have for our customers and partners.
Best,
Rajesh
