Microsoft Shakes Up Communications Team with Brad Smith at Helm

Microsoft is restructuring its communications team and will have Brad Smith oversee the function. Smith, who is also vice chair and president of Microsoft, will take over from Frank Shaw, who announced he's leaving the company later this year after nearly three decades.

Shaw was the chief communications officer and Nadella thanked him for his contributions to Microsoft's communications in an internal memo announcing the changes. Brent Colburn has been appointed as interim communications leader to help navigate what Nadella calls 'a media environment that is increasingly fragmented and noisier than ever.'

Nadella also stated he's 'excited about the opportunity to help our engineers, sellers, partners, and others closest to our products and customers become an even bigger part of how we tell our story.' This approach sounds similar to AI startups where researchers lead demos and blogs at companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.

Brad Smith will now be responsible for leading the communications function going forward. He brings a deep understanding of Microsoft's business, a strong connection to stakeholders, and a rare ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and trust.