Panos Panay, the chief product officer of Microsoft and the driving force behind the development of Surface and Windows 11, has left the company after 19 years. It has been confirmed that he will be joining Amazon in October.
Microsoft announced Panay’s departure last week via email. He previously served as the head of the company’s Windows and Devices team. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed his gratitude for Panay’s contributions, stating, “Thank you, Panos, for your impact on our products, culture, company, and industry over the past two decades. I’m grateful for your leadership, support, and all you’ve done for Microsoft and our customers and partners.”
Panay himself confirmed his decision to leave Microsoft on Twitter, saying, “After 19 incredible years at Microsoft, I’ve decided to turn the page and write the next chapter. I’m forever grateful for my time at Microsoft and the amazing people I had the honor to make products with.” While he did not disclose his next move, Bloomberg reported that Panay will be joining Amazon.
In a blog post, Amazon announced that Panay will be leading their devices and services team, starting at the end of October. Panay has been involved with the Surface since its inception in 2008, with the goal of creating touch-based hardware to complement the release of Windows 8. He has been the face of the Surface, regularly presenting the latest versions at Microsoft events.
