Microsoft’s consumer marketing chief to leave next year

Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft, is leaving the company after 35 years. Mehdi announced his departure in an internal memo on Thursday, noting that he will leave Microsoft next year. He will remain focused on marketing for Windows, Copilot for consumers and the Microsoft 365 consumer business until 2027.

“As I thought about this decision, one thing was crystal clear: I want to ensure I have the time and space to set the team – and our mission – up for continued success,” says Mehdi in his memo. “We are in the middle of an incredibly important moment for Microsoft and for our customers.”

GeekWire reports that Mehdi is working with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and chief marketing officer Takeshi Numoto on a transition plan, but the company has not yet named his successor. Mehdi is the latest in a wave of veteran executives who have announced their departure from Microsoft in recent months.

Rajesh Jha, former executive vice president of Microsoft’s experiences and devices group, announced in March that he is retiring after more than 35 years at Microsoft. Jha’s departure has triggered a flattening of Microsoft’s upper management for Windows, Office, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and more.

Mehdi originally started at Microsoft as an intern in the ’90s, just like many veteran employees. He worked on the launch of Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 early in his career, as well as the marketing for Internet Explorer. He also spent more than 10 years running Microsoft’s search and online businesses, including helping launch Bing. Mehdi also helped launch the Xbox One, Windows 10, and Copilot Plus PCs, and has regularly been the face of Microsoft’s consumer efforts in recent years.

“I’ve had the privilege of being a part of some of the most consequential shifts in technology – from the rise of Windows and the early Internet, to search, gaming, devices, and now one of the most profound platform transitions yet: AI,” says Mehdi. “It’s an exciting but difficult decision, as Microsoft has been far more than a place to work. It has truly been the canvas for my life’s work.”