Microsoft’s Product Chief Panos Panay to Leave the Company
Microsoft’s product chief, Panos Panay, will be leaving the software and hardware maker, according to an announcement made by executive vice president Rajesh Jha on Monday.
Changing of the Guard at Microsoft
This shakeup represents a changing of the guard after over a decade of sales of Microsoft’s Surface PCs, which Panay has presented to consumers at company events. However, Surface sales have not kept up with the growth of cloud services, and Windows, a source of profitable revenue, has yet to return to growth after the pandemic.
Commitment to Windows and Surface
Despite the challenges, Microsoft is not giving up on its Windows and Surface businesses. Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s consumer chief marketing officer, will take the lead on these areas externally, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Leadership Changes and New Additions
As part of the changes, Charles Simonyi, who led the development of Microsoft’s popular Word and Excel applications, will join the management teams for the Experiences and Devices group. This group is led by Rajesh Jha and is responsible for Microsoft’s mixed reality products, including HoloLens augmented-reality devices.
Immediate Effect on Surface Event
The leadership changes, including Panay’s departure, will take effect immediately, just three days before Microsoft’s upcoming event in New York, where the company is expected to announce its next generation of Surface devices.
Panos Panay’s Impact at Microsoft
Panos Panay joined Microsoft in 2004 and has made significant contributions to the company’s products and culture. He played a crucial role in the creation of the iconic Surface brand and has led the Windows team in delivering innovative services and experiences to millions of users.
Future Plans of Panos Panay
Panos Panay has not yet announced his future plans after leaving Microsoft. In a tweet, he expressed gratitude for his time at the company and the opportunity to work with amazing people.
Source: Panos Panay’s tweet