Microsoft Shakes Up Leadership as Head of Experiences and Devices Retires

Microsoft's executive vice president of the Experiences and Devices group, Rajesh Jha, is retiring after more than 35 years at the software giant. Jha was a key figure in the team that helped move Microsoft Office to the cloud and has recently been overseeing Microsoft 365 Copilot, Windows, Office, and more.

In an internal memo, Jha announced, "After 35+ years at Microsoft, I am moving into retirement. I will transition out on July 1st and then stay in an advisory role."

While Jha is leaving at the end of June, Microsoft is not promoting anyone as a direct replacement. Instead, the company is promoting four of Jha's direct reports to executive vice president roles to lead the Experiences and Devices group.

The four new executive vice presidents are:

• Panos Panay, who will lead Windows, Surface, and all of Microsoft's first-party hardware
• Yusuf Mehdi, who will lead Microsoft 365, including Office, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and other productivity apps
• Nicole Herskowitz, who will lead Microsoft Teams and the broader collaboration and communications business
• Becky Esau, who will lead human resources, business operations, and strategic planning for the Experiences and Devices group

This restructuring marks a significant change in Microsoft's leadership, as the company looks to navigate the evolving landscape of productivity software, cloud-based collaboration tools, and its growing hardware business.

Rajesh Jha has been a driving force behind many of Microsoft's key initiatives in recent years, including the successful transition of Office to a cloud-based subscription model and the development of Microsoft 365 as a comprehensive productivity suite. His retirement and the subsequent leadership changes will likely have a significant impact on the company's strategy and product roadmap going forward.

As Microsoft navigates this transition, the new executive team will be tasked with maintaining the momentum of the Experiences and Devices group while also exploring new opportunities in areas like artificial intelligence, collaboration, and the continued evolution of Windows and Microsoft's hardware offerings.

The departure of Rajesh Jha is a significant milestone for Microsoft, and the company's ability to seamlessly transition to a new leadership structure will be closely watched by industry analysts and investors alike. With the experienced team now in place, Microsoft will be positioned to continue its growth and innovation in the critical Experiences and Devices segment.