Shaw Steps Down After Nearly Three Decades at Microsoft

Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft's chief communications officer, is stepping down after nearly 29 years with the company. Shaw announced his decision through an internal memo to his team on September 11 and later shared it publicly on LinkedIn.

He will stay on until December 31st to help with the transition. Shaw held the top communications role at Microsoft for 17 years, having previously worked at Waggener Edstrom.

In a note to staff, Shaw said he felt it was time to move on and try new things. He had been discussing this decision with Takeshi Numoto, Microsoft's chief marketing officer, for some time, and both agreed the timing felt right.

Shaw expressed his gratitude to the team, praising their accomplishments and calling himself 'endlessly' thankful. He also thanked reporters and analysts he had worked with over the years, joking about the late-night calls they had shared.