Panos Panay, Microsoft’s leader product officer and the individual liable for construction of the Floor and Home windows 11, has left the corporate after 19 years. 

Microsoft introduced Panay’s departure on Monday by the use of e-mail. Up to now, he used to be the pinnacle of the corporate’s Home windows and Gadgets workforce. 

“Thanks, Panos, to your have an effect on on our merchandise, tradition, corporate, and trade over the last 20 years. I am thankful to your management, beef up, and all you could have completed for Microsoft and our consumers and companions,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella mentioned in an emailed observation. 

Panay tweeted Monday about his resolution to depart the corporate. 

“After 19 fantastic years at Microsoft, I have determined to show the web page and write the following bankruptcy,” he mentioned. “I am endlessly thankful for my time at Microsoft and the fantastic other folks I had the honour to make merchandise with.” 

Even supposing Panay has but to suggest the place he’s going to be running subsequent, Bloomberg reported Monday that the previous Microsoft govt will head to Amazon to run its department running on Alexa and Echo merchandise. 

Amazon did not reply to a request for remark. 

Panay started paintings at the Floor in 2008. The theory on the time used to be for Microsoft to have its personal touch-based {hardware} to coincide with the discharge of Home windows 8, which made use of touch-based controls. Since its preliminary release in 2012, Panay has been the face of the Floor, continuously presenting the most recent iterations at Microsoft occasions. 

Taking up Panay’s tasks at the Home windows workforce is Yusuf Medhi, company vp and shopper leader advertising and marketing officer. 

Panay’s departure comes days ahead of Microsoft’s Sept. 21 tournament, the place the corporate will show off new merchandise and its newest inventions in synthetic intelligence.