Microsoft CEO Panos Panay is leaving the company and may go to Amazon

Microsoft’s chief product officer Panos Panay is leaving the company after nineteen years. Panay was responsible for the Windows & Devices division and the Surface laptops for many years. Later he was involved as a top executive in the development of Windows 11.

Panay joined Microsoft in 2004 and from 2012 was responsible for the Surface product line, which he co-created. From 2018, the CEO took over as chief product officer at Microsoft. In that role, he led the team responsible for the development of Windows 11. Panay himself did many presentations of products he was involved with, including most Surface laptops and later Windows 11.

Bloomberg reports that a similar position at Amazon will become available later this year; Dave Limp was going to retire as senior vice president of Amazon’s Devices and Services business. According to those involved, Panay will take over this position, which would make him responsible for, among other things, the Alexa voice assistant and Amazon Echo speakers.