Microsoft announced Pavan Davuluri as the new Windows and Surface Chief following the departure of Panos Panay to Amazon in 2023, leading to the split of the Windows and Surface groups under separate leadership. Davuluri, with over 23 years of experience at Microsoft, takes over the responsibilities of both Windows and Surface, succeeding Mikhail Parakhin who decided to explore new roles. This move marks a strategic shift as Microsoft aims to integrate its Windows and devices teams to foster a holistic approach in developing silicon, systems, experiences, and devices for the AI era, according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge from Rajesh Jha, Microsoft’s Head of Experiences and Devices.
The restructuring coincides with the appointment of Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google DeepMind, as the CEO of Microsoft AI, a newly formed team overseeing consumer-facing AI products. Suleyman's appointment reflects Microsoft's focus on leveraging AI across its products, including Copilot, Bing, and Edge, with Suleyman reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella. With the alignment of the Windows team closely with Microsoft AI, there are anticipated areas of potential overlap that Davuluri and Suleyman, along with their teams, will need to navigate as Microsoft continues to innovate in AI-driven technologies within the Windows ecosystem.
