Panos Panay, who was a key figure at Microsoft as chief product officer responsible for the development of Windows and the Surface line of devices, is leaving his position, reports The Verge. The news was confirmed by Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's vice president of experience and devices, in an internal email to employees.
Panay had worked at Microsoft for almost two decades, and his dismissal came as a surprise, especially since he was scheduled to speak at a Microsoft event on September 21 to present new Surface devices and advances in artificial intelligence technology.
Panay joined Microsoft in 2004 as a group program manager and rose through the ranks to become director of product development in 2018. In this role, he participated in the development of Windows 11 and was promoted to executive vice president in 2021, becoming part of the core leadership team that advises CEO Satya Nadella. On social media, Panay expressed his gratitude for his time at Microsoft and hinted that he was moving on to a new stage in his career.
According to Bloomberg, Panay will join Amazon to lead the development of Alexa voice assistant and Echo smart speakers.
Yusuf Mehdi, who serves as Microsoft's head of consumer marketing, will lead the Windows and Surface divisions, working closely with OEMs and retail partners. These organizational changes come at a critical time for Microsoft, which is increasing its focus on integrating artificial intelligence features into Windows 11 and is rumored to be planning to release Windows 12 next year.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, thanked Panay for his many contributions over the years and reaffirmed the company's commitment to its current strategy under the new leadership.
An internal email from Rajesh Jha emphasized Panay's significant impact on Microsoft's product line and culture. It also states that the company will continue to focus on its current strategy, which includes building silicon, systems, and devices that span Windows, client, and cloud solutions for an AI-driven world. Pawan Davuluri will lead this team and report directly to Jha. The email also mentions that an "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session will be organized in the coming days to answer any questions employees may have.