HoloLens and Kinect CEO leaves Microsoft after allegations of misconduct

The CEO of Microsoft’s HoloLens division, Alex Kipman, is leaving the company. Kipman was the co-inventor of the HoloLens and previously of the Kinect. He leaves after the appearance of an article accusing him of misconduct towards female colleagues.

Microsoft and Kipman have not yet publicly announced their departure, but an internal email said that has been viewed by GeekWire, confirms that Kipman is leaving the company. Scott Guthrie, the head of the Microsoft Cloud + AI division, to which Kipman reports, writes that “it has been collectively decided that now is the right time for him to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.” With Kipman’s departure, the department will be reorganized and Kipman will remain involved in that transition in the coming months.

Kipman’s departure follows an Insider publication last month, in which the HoloLens CEO is accused of misconduct against female colleagues. According to Insider sources, more than 25 employees contributed to an internal report on Kipman’s alleged misconduct. Microsoft declined to deny or confirm the existence of the allegations report, saying in a response that “every claim received is being investigated.”

Kipman worked at Microsoft for over 21 years. He started out as a Windows developer and moved to the Xbox division in 2008, where he oversaw PrimeSense’s acquisition of 3D tracking technology, which would eventually become the Xbox Kinect. After that he was involved in the development of the HoloLens. Kipman has hundreds of patents to his name regarding technology for the Kinect and HoloLens.

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