Team,
After nearly 20 years at Microsoft, Panos Panay has made the decision to leave the company. Throughout his tenure, Panos has made a significant impact on our products, culture, and the broader devices ecosystem. Under his leadership, our team created the iconic Surface brand, which has been beloved by consumers. Additionally, Panos has led the Windows team in delivering incredible services and experiences to millions of users through Windows 11 and innovative devices from our OEM partners. We will miss Panos and are grateful for his countless contributions over the years. Please join me in wishing him well as he embarks on his next chapter.
Moving forward, it is imperative that we double down on our strategy to ensure continued success. These changes will take effect immediately, with Panos assisting in the transition process.
As we enter the era of artificial intelligence, we must build silicon, systems, and devices that span Windows, the client, and the cloud. Leading this effort will be Pavan Davuluri, who will report directly to me. I am confident in Pavan’s ability to guide this team, which includes Brett Ostrum, Nino Storniolo, Linda Averett, Ken Pan, Ralf Groene, Aidan Marcuss, Carlos Picoto, Stevie Bathiche, Robin Seiler, Ruben Caballero, and Anuj Gosalia. Windows planning and release management will remain under the purview of this team. Our commitment to Surface and mixed reality will not waver.
In order to create experiences that seamlessly integrate web, services, and Windows for the AI age, a new Windows and Web Experiences Team will be formed under the leadership of Mikhail Parakhin. Joining him will be Shilpa Ranganathan, Jeff Johnson, and Ali Akgun, along with their respective teams.
Yusuf Mehdi will assume the responsibility of leading the Windows and Surface businesses alongside our OEM and Retail partners. His expertise and experience in the industry make him the perfect candidate for this role.
Furthermore, we are excited to welcome Charles Simonyi, Terri Chudzik, and Erin Kolb to the E+D management teams. Additionally, Ralf Groene and Mike Davidson will collaborate to align our design teams for optimal performance.
In the coming days, we will organize an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to address any questions or concerns you may have. It is crucial that we remain focused on executing our existing plans and continue delivering meaningful experiences for our customers and partners.
Thank you all for your unwavering dedication and the impact you make every day. Together, we will achieve great things.
Best regards,
Rajesh