Microsoft Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw to Leave After Nearly Three Decades
Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft's chief communications officer for the past 17 years and a key figure in shaping the company’s public messaging over nearly three decades, is leaving his role at the end of this year. In an internal memo viewed by Fortune, Shaw said he plans to pursue new ventures but has not yet decided on specific next steps. He worked closely with Microsoft's executive leadership across multiple CEOs — Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella — and played a central role in managing public relations for major events and strategic initiatives. Shaw’s departure comes amid significant internal changes at Microsoft as the company shifts focus toward AI development and cloud computing. Recent months have seen several high-profile executive departures, including Rajesh Jha from Windows products and Phil Spencer from gaming leadership. The Copilot team has been restructured under a new leader, Jacob Andreou, reflecting broader strategic realignments. Microsoft’s Azure business continues to drive growth with over $100 billion in annual revenue, much of it fueled by AI demand. Shaw was instrumental in promoting Microsoft's evolving partnerships and messaging around OpenAI and Anthropic while defending less successful ventures like Xbox.
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