Phil Spencer, Executive Vice President for Gaming at Microsoft, announced his retirement after 38 years with the company, including 12 years leading its video game division. Asha Sharma, formerly in charge of Microsoft’s CoreAI, will succeed Spencer. Xbox President Sarah Bond is also departing. Matt Booty, current Xbox Studios Head, is promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer.
Spencer cited a desire to begin a new chapter, having informed CEO Satya Nadella last fall. He will remain in an advisory role through the summer to aid Sharma's transition.
Spencer began his Microsoft career as an intern in 1988. He held leadership roles at Microsoft Game Studios before heading Xbox in 2014. During his tenure, he navigated the challenging launch of the Xbox One and oversaw major acquisitions, including Bethesda Softworks and the $68.7 billion merger with Activision Blizzard.
Sharma, who joined Microsoft two years ago after leadership roles at Meta and Instacart, has pledged to lead "the return of Xbox" and recommit to core fans and players, focusing on console, PC, mobile, and cloud platforms.