Microsoft lets go of Windows chief as part of a major reorganisation

A few years ago when Satya Nadella first took over Microsoft, the company went through a major internal shakeup and formed the Windows and Devices Group, just ahead of the launch for Windows 10. Now this week, another major shift has occurred, reorganising Microsoft, diminishing the role of the Windows group and putting more focus on Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform.

As part of this shakeup, Windows team leader, Terry Myerson, will be leaving Microsoft. The Windows and Devices Group is being split apart too. Going forward, there will be a new ‘Experiences & Devices’ division, headed by Executive VP Rajesh Jha. The Cloud + AI group will also be absorbing some other parts of Microsoft, including the AI research team.

Joe Belfiore will be staying on to lead development on Windows and Panos Panay will continue to lead development on Surface products. In an email sent out to employees today (via WSJ), Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, explained that the reorganisational shift is a way to remove boundaries that “get in the way of innovation”. He also added that “having a deep sense of customers’ unmet and unarticulated needs must drive innovation”.

 

In the past, Microsoft has been very focussed on Windows and would often kill off projects if they didn’t help expand the OS and its marketshare. Nowadays with Nadella in charge, the company is shifting its focus to other areas, like mobile and cloud computing, in search of additional growth.

Aside from Terry Myerson leaving and some internal shuffling, no other layoffs are expected to occur at this time.

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KitGuru Says: Microsoft has gone through some major changes over the last few years, and that seems to be continuing. We already saw a cloud-oriented focus with Microsoft’s recent acquisitions, and this latest shift cements that further.