Microsoft's Longtime Product Chief Panos Panay Departs for Amazon

Overview

• Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer overseeing Surface and Windows, is leaving the company after nearly 20 years.
• Panay will be replacing Dave Limp as head of Amazon's devices organization, responsible for Alexa, Echo, Fire TV and Kindle.
• Yusuf Mehdi will take over leadership of the Windows and Surface businesses externally at Microsoft.
• The shakeup comes shortly before Microsoft's expected Surface hardware event that Panay was set to lead.
• Panay's move raises questions about Microsoft's hardware ambitions and Amazon's strategy with an influential new leader.