leadership transition Archives

Winsage

May 22, 2026

Yusuf Mehdi to Reimagine Windows 11 in Final Year

Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft, has announced his intention to leave the company at the end of the 2026-27 fiscal year after 35 years with the organization. He plans to work through the next fiscal year to help reimagine Windows, grow services, and implement the One Copilot vision. Mehdi is collaborating with CEO Satya Nadella and CMO Takeshi Numoto for a smooth transition, but Microsoft has not yet named a successor.

Winsage

March 13, 2026

Windows & Devices boss now reports directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft has announced leadership changes affecting its Windows & Devices, Office, and LinkedIn divisions. Rajesh Jha, executive vice president of the Experiences & Devices division, will retire on July 1 after over 35 years. Four new leaders have been promoted to executive vice president roles: Pavan Davuluri (Windows & Devices), Ryan Roslansky (Office and LinkedIn), Perry Clarke (Microsoft 365 Core), and Charles Lamanna (Business and Industry Copilot). Jha will remain in an advisory role post-retirement. CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the opportunities ahead for Microsoft and the importance of a smooth transition. The restructuring aims to revitalize Windows 11 and address past criticisms, with a focus on quality updates and customer feedback under Davuluri's leadership.

AppWizard

February 21, 2026

New Xbox boss Asha Sharma promises not to flood its games with “soulless AI slop”

Asha Sharma has been appointed as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming following Phil Spencer's departure. Concerns have arisen regarding her potential reliance on generative AI in game development, but Sharma has stated her focus will not be on "chasing short-term efficiency" and emphasized the importance of preserving Xbox's unique essence. She aims to avoid "soulless AI slop" and believes in the value of human-crafted games. Sharma's background includes experience at Meta and Instacart, and she has previously expressed optimism about AI's potential in various fields. She envisions a return to Xbox's "renegade spirit," promoting a culture of questioning norms while maintaining effective elements. Matt Booty has been promoted to Chief Content Officer and reassured that there are no planned organizational changes for Xbox studios.

AppWizard

October 22, 2025

Tero Virtala steps down as Remedy CEO

Tero Virtala has stepped down as CEO of Remedy Entertainment, effective immediately. Markus Mäki, a founder and board member since 1995, will serve as interim CEO. Virtala led the company since 2016, focusing on independence and reducing reliance on third-party partnerships, resulting in the launch of the game Control in 2019. Under his leadership, Remedy secured publishing rights for Control and the Alan Wake series. However, the company faced challenges in 2025 with the release of its first multiplayer game, FBC: Control, which did not meet performance expectations, leading to a profit warning issued in October.

AppWizard

October 19, 2025

Ubisoft vet Côté says he “did not make choice” to leave the company

Marc-Alexis Côté, the long-time leader of the Assassin's Creed franchise, has departed from Ubisoft after over two decades. He clarified that the decision to leave was not his own, as the company chose a successor closer to its organizational structure. Although he was offered another position within Ubisoft, it did not align with his previous responsibilities. Assassin's Creed is now under the newly established Vantage Studios, backed by Tencent. Côté expressed gratitude for his experiences and relationships at Ubisoft and compared his departure to a captain ensuring the safety of his crew before leaving. His departure signifies a significant moment in the franchise's history as Ubisoft transitions to new leadership.

Tech Optimizer

August 23, 2025

Kerberus Acquires Refract to Build First Crypto Antivirus

Kerberus Cyber Security acquired Refract, the developer of the Pocket Universe browser extension, in a seven-figure deal confirmed on August 16, 2025. This acquisition aims to create the first dedicated antivirus solution for the cryptocurrency industry. Kerberus plans to enhance its existing Sentinel3 browser extension and expand its security framework to cover all Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains and Solana. The development of a minimal viable product is expected to take at least four months, with Pocket Universe’s co-founders transitioning to advisory roles. Kerberus emphasizes user privacy by not requesting access to private keys or user funds and warns against potential antivirus scams in the crypto space.

AppWizard

July 6, 2025

Subnautica 2 studio begs rioting fans for benefit of the doubt after leadership axed by owner Krafton: ‘The team that has been working on the game day-to-day over the last few years remains completely unchanged’

Developer Unknown Worlds has announced a leadership transition, with co-founder Max McGuire departing and Steve Papoutsis appointed as the new head of the studio. This change has led to mixed reactions from the Subnautica community, including calls for a boycott of Subnautica 2. The announcement did not provide details about the reasons for the departures of key figures. The studio reassured fans that Subnautica 2 will not shift to a live service model or change its monetization strategy. Unknown Worlds emphasized the commitment of the remaining development team and requested patience from fans as they navigate this transition.

AppWizard

July 4, 2025

Matt Firor steps down as ZeniMax Online studio boss

Matt Firor is stepping down as president of ZeniMax Online Studios after 18 years. He will be succeeded by studio head Jo Burba, executive producer Susan Kath, and game director Rich Lambert. Firor expressed confidence in the new leadership team, which has been involved in significant expansions for Elder Scrolls Online. The transition occurs alongside restructuring at ZeniMax, including the cancellation of an MMO project called Blackbird. Firor joined ZeniMax in 2007 and his departure signifies a major change for the studio.

AppWizard

June 20, 2025

Embracer’s headcount dropped by 1.8k staff last year

Embracer Group has reduced its workforce by over 1,800 employees, specifically a decrease of 1,857 compared to the previous fiscal year. This follows approximately 1,400 job losses in the prior year. The company has also divested several studios, including Gearbox and Saber Interactive. Embracer is planning to split into three publicly-traded entities, and founder and CEO Lars Wingefors will step down, with Phil Rogers taking over as CEO. Wingefors will become executive chairman of the Board, focusing on strategic initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, and capital allocation.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Phil Rogers is Embracer Group’s next CEO

Phil Rogers will become the CEO of Embracer Group on August 1st, succeeding Lars Wingefors, who will transition to executive chair of the board in September. Rogers joined Embracer in 2022 and previously served as deputy CEO, leading Crystal Dynamics and Plaion. Kicki Wallje-Lund will take on the role of deputy chair. This leadership change follows the recent announcement of the spin-off of Coffee Stain into an independent entity.