Panos Panay quits Microsoft for Amazon
Panay's tenure will start at the end of October
Panos Panay, Microsoft's former product chief, will head Amazon's struggling Devices and Services (D&S) division after Dave Limp departs this year.
Panay, who has a 19-year tenure at Microsoft, announced his departure last week.
He has worked extensively across Microsoft's hardware and device divisions, most recently as chief product officer for Surface devices and Windows 11 development
In these positions he played a pivotal role in spearheading the development and launch of the Surface product line.
However, he is now to move to rival Amazon's Devices & Services unit, which covers Alexa, Ring doorbells, Kindles, the Fire line of products and more.
"As a strong product builder and inventor who has deep experience in both hardware and integrated services, Panos will be a great addition to our D&S organization moving forward," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wrote in a note to employees on Wednesday.
Jassy said Panay will join Amazon's senior leadership team, referred to internally as the "S-Team."
His tenure will start at the end of October, and he will work with existing D&S leader Dave Limp over the coming months for a smooth transition.
Limp first announced his decision to step down in August, and welcomed Panay's appointment announcement.
"I've known Panos for years, and believe he will be a great addition to this organisation moving forward," he said.
"He is a passionate product leader and I can't wait to see what all of you invent together. I'll work diligently with him for the next two months to ensure a smooth transition through our fall launches and getting through our OP1 planning."
While relatively small in scale in Amazon's vast portfolio, the Device unit carries significant symbolic weight as a testing ground for gadgets, and as Alexa's public face through voice-assistant devices.
Amazon has previously said its D&S business is not profitable, but has never shared specific financial figures.
According to Reuters interviews with employees from the hardware unit, morale within the division has taken a hit due to staff reductions and concerns about the viability of devices currently in development.
Amazon and Microsoft are increasingly competing in the AI field, particularly as extensions of their cloud computing businesses.
That rivalry has been exemplified by Amazon's recent investment of up to $4 billion in the AI startup Anthropic, underscoring its commitment to advancing AI technologies.
AI has also become a growing focus for both Microsoft's Windows division and Amazon's D&S business, as evidenced by Amazon's recent product announcements last week.