As part of a broader effort to adopt a more direct approach to public engagement, Microsoft is undergoing a significant restructuring of its communications department, a move driven by CEO Satya Nadella. According to internal memos circulated on Thursday, the communications function will be relocated from the marketing group to the corporate, external, and legal affairs organization, which is led by Vice Chair Brad Smith.
Leadership Changes
Effective next week, Brent Colburn, Microsoft’s Vice President of global public affairs, will assume the role of interim communications leader. Notably, Colburn had previously announced his intention to leave the company in mid-October, but he will now remain until December. However, he is not being considered for the permanent communications leadership position.
Meanwhile, Frank X. Shaw, the company’s long-standing communications chief, will be stepping down from his current responsibilities. Instead, he will take on an advisory role, providing guidance to both Smith and Colburn during the transition period.
Building in Public
Nadella has described the organizational shift as a necessary response to the evolving media industry. In his view, Microsoft must develop new strategies to engage directly with its various constituencies in an environment that is becoming increasingly complex and noisy. As Nadella noted, “the people closest to the work have the best opportunity to shape how Microsoft is understood.”
The ultimate goal is to empower Microsoft employees to play a more significant role in shaping the company’s public image. By doing so, Nadella aims to create a more authentic and direct connection between the company and its stakeholders. He envisions a scenario where engineers, sales teams, partners, and other individuals closest to Microsoft’s products and customers become integral to the company’s storytelling efforts, all guided by a shared strategy and set of principles.
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This approach is reminiscent of the more fluid and informal communication styles often employed by AI labs and startups, such as OpenAI and Anthropic. These organizations frequently use blogs and livestreams to share information and insights, and their researchers often post directly and informally in their own voices.
Microsoft has been working to establish itself as a major player in the AI sector, with efforts underway to develop in-house models under the leadership of Mustafa Suleyman’s Microsoft AI group. Although Copilot trails behind ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in terms of consumer adoption, the company is committed to making progress in this area.
Organization Shift
Nadella has praised Smith as one of the few leaders who genuinely embody Microsoft’s voice, citing his exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity, conviction, and trust. Smith’s organization is responsible for handling Microsoft’s legal, regulatory, and public policy work, including antitrust matters, litigation, and government relations.
As a result of the restructuring, communications will now be situated alongside these functions, rather than being part of the marketing and product groups. While the memos emphasize the importance of continued coordination between the two groups, the change is intended to facilitate a more direct and authentic approach to public engagement.
Internal Search for New Chief Communications Officer
Microsoft is conducting a search for a new chief communications officer. The company will review candidates from both internal and external pools.