Last week was a whirlwind of departure news and product announcements between two rival Seattle based businesses in Microsoft and Amazon. Now that the dust has settled a bit, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and former head of hardware and integrated services Dave Limp are officially welcoming Microsoft’s former head of Windows and Devices Panos Panay to join the fold.
Both Jassy and outgoing Limp penned personal recognitions regarding Panay joining Amazon’s D&S organization today via the company’s blog.
Quick note to share that Panos Panay will be joining Amazon to lead our Devices & Services business (D&S), reporting to me and joining S-Team.
Panos has spent the last 19+ years at Microsoft, where he was most recently EVP and Chief Product Officer, leading the Windows + Devices division. Before this latest role, Panos held a variety of leadership positions, including Corporate VP for Microsoft Devices, as well as GM of Surface and PC Hardware, where he drove the creation and introduction of the Surface product line. As a strong product builder and inventor who has deep experience in both hardware and integrated services, Panos will be a great addition to our D&S organization moving forward.
Panos will start at the end of October, and Dave Limp will work with him over the next couple of months to ensure a smooth transition. I remain quite excited about the invention happening and businesses that we’re building in D&S, and look forward to working with Panos.
Andy
I’ve known Panos for years, and believe he will be a great addition to this organization moving forward. He is a passionate product leader and I can’t wait to see what all of you invent together. I’ll work diligently with him for the next two months to ensure a smooth transition through our fall launches and getting through our OP1 planning.
Dave-
While Limp is destined for Amazon’s space-oriented venture as CEO of Blue Origin, Limp will stick around for a bit to help walk Panay through his initial onboarding to the company. Amazon held its product event last week where the company showcased several new updates to its lineup that center on home automation and interactions and Panay will now be slotted in there to help see those efforts flourish.
Amazon also retooled its generative artificial intelligence focus to be more competitive with the likes of Google and Microsoft and made several inferences that its products will make use of AI in a way the company hadn’t before which coincidentally was a similar marketing pitch Microsoft made a day later with its own Surface hardware product event.
With Panay out at Microsoft, the Windows and devices businesses underwent a mini reorg where the four-part group will have Rajesh Jha heading up Experiences and Devices, Joe Belfiore in charge of the Office Product Group, Web Experiences led by Mikhail Parakhin and CVP of modern life, search and devices Yusuf Medhi taking Panay’s spot as the head of Windows and Surface.
