Phil Spencer is retiring; Asha Sharma to lead Microsoft Gaming

A Variety report says that after nearly 40 years at the company, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is retiring. In a memo to employees he wrote, "When I walked through Microsoft’s doors as an intern in June of 1988, I could never have imagined the products I’d help build, the players and customers we’d serve, or the extraordinary teams I’d be lucky enough to join.

It’s been an epic ride and truly the privilege of a lifetime." Last fall he told [Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella] that he was thinking about stepping back, and they "aligned on approaching this transition with intention, ensuring stability, and strengthening the foundation we’ve built." After 38 years at Microsoft, Spencer said he had made the decision to retire and begin the next chapter of his life.

Xbox president Sarah Bond, who joined the Xbox division in 2017, is not part of that plan and has resigned from Microsoft. Matt Booty, head of Microsoft Studios, is being promoted to chief content officer.

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