Microsoft executive Rajesh Jha to retire after more than three decades

Rajesh Jha, the head of Microsoft's Experiences and Devices unit, has announced his retirement after more than three decades with the tech giant. His leadership has been pivotal in overseeing crucial initiatives, including the development of Windows, Microsoft 365 applications like Word and Teams, and the Surface hardware line. In an internal memo to Microsoft employees, Jha confirmed his departure from the Experiences + Devices unit will take effect on July 1. Following his retirement, he will transition into an advisory role within the company. Throughout his time at Microsoft, Jha played a key role in integrating cloud and AI capabilities across the company's extensive productivity software suite. CEO Satya Nadella recognized Jha’s long-standing contributions, stating, "Rajesh has been a constant throughout my entire life at Microsoft." Alongside Jha's retirement, Microsoft has announced several promotions within its ranks, naming Jeff Teper as executive vice president and promoting Sumit Chauhan and Kirk Koenigsbauer to the role of president. Jha began his career at Microsoft in 1990 as a software design engineer and has since held several senior positions across various products, including Exchange and SharePoint. He was instrumental in launching Office 365 and became part of Nadella's senior leadership team in 2016. His retirement follows last month’s announcement of Phil Spencer's exit from Microsoft’s gaming division, marking a significant transition period for the company. Asha Sharma has since been appointed as the new Executive Vice President and CEO of the gaming unit. As Jha prepares for his exit, he and the leadership team are expected to finalize the details of this transition in the lead-up to the start of Microsoft's next fiscal year in June.