Panos Panay has been promoted to Microsoft's senior leadership team, elevating Windows and Surface

Panos Panay with Surface Laptop 3 Source: Windows Fundamental Panos Panay, newly annointed EVP at Microsoft.

Since the era of ex-Windows lead Terry Myerson, Windows itself hasn't had a seat at the large boy table within Microsoft. However, that has now changed. Chief Production Officeholder Panos Panay has taken upwards a new role as an Executive Vice President (via Bloomberg), joining recent appointee Xbox lead Phil Spencer at the senior leadership table, answering directly to CEO and board manager Satya Nadella.

When Xbox jumped upwardly to the senior leadership table under Phil Spencer, we saw a flood in relevance and investment for Xbox within the wider company ethos. Windows and Surface could come across a similar boost every bit a result. The date shows tremendous faith in Panay's vision for Windows xi and Surface, the latter of which has grown to another billion-dollar Microsoft business under Panay's leadership.

Panos Panay Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Primal

Nether Panay, Windows is getting its biggest overhaul in years, with a wide-ranging refresh of the user feel, with an attempt to modernize and add together consistency to the aging Bone. Microsoft'south business has increasingly shifted to cloud-oriented business models in recent years, with Xbox building creator economies into its games, on superlative of a cloud-powered streaming platform with Xbox Game Pass. Azure needs no introduction, powering a huge portion of the spider web using Microsoft'south vast server farms, and we accept Microsoft 365 powering businesses across the world. Windows itself is getting a cloud makeover too, with Windows Deject PC giving access to secure computers and apps from whatever device.

Panay'due south vision for Surface has targeted creators and consumers in equal measure out over the years, and Windows 11 certainly seems to be following suit. Microsoft committed to bringing Android apps to Windows itself, and the marketing across social media has increasingly leaned into Windows nostalgia from yesteryear, showcasing a revitalized Clippy and MS Paint. Hopefully, we'll see Windows and Surface enjoy a similar investment boost we've seen for Xbox as a event of Panay'due south promotion.