Microsoft top Office executive Rajesh Jha retiring after more than 35 years

In this articleMicrosoft said Thursday that Rajesh Jha, the software vendor's highest-ranking executive supervising Office, is retiring in July after more than 35 years at the company.Jha's departure is a significant loss for Microsoft as the company tries to both collaborate and compete with generative artificial intelligence model developers Anthropic and OpenAI, and comes less than a month after Microsoft announced the retirement of longtime gaming chief Phil Spencer. Under Jha, Microsoft has incorporated models from the two hyper-growth startups into the 365 Copilot add-on for widely used Microsoft 365 commercial subscriptions. "When I think about the pantheon of leaders who have truly shaped this company, Rajesh stands firmly among them," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote in a memo. "He embodies the commitment that helped build and transform Microsoft into the company it is today, and it is on the strength of that foundation that we will continue to move forward."Four leaders who have worked with Jha's Experiences and Devices group will report to Nadella, Jha said in a memo to employees.That includes LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, who took on additional responsibility for Office applications and the M365 Copilot AI app last year, and Pavan Davuluri, who's in charge of Surface devices and Windows operating systems. Charles Lamanna, the president of business and industry Copilot, will also report to Nadella, as will Perry Clarke, president of Microsoft 365 Core.Jha also said Jeff Teper, a 34-year company veteran who is president of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms, is becoming an executive vice president. Two other Office executives, Sumit Chauhan and Kirk Koenigsbauer, are being elevated to president titles. "Our intent in taking this approach is to minimize changes and not lose the great momentum we have," Jha wrote in his own memo. He said employees should maintain their intensity around Copilot and cybersecurity efforts.Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue increased 17% and accounted for over 30% of overall sales in the December quarter. The Windows and Devices segment was down slightly and accounted for less than 6% of total revenue.On Monday, Microsoft said it would release a top-of-the-line $99 per month Microsoft 365 E7 subscription that includes Copilot. Before taking on one of the largest teams of engineers at the company, Jha contributed to Microsoft Works releases, multimedia technology and led teams focusing on Exchange, SharePoint, Project and Outlook products, according to a biography from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, where Jha studied computer science.WATCH: Microsoft backs Anthropic in Pentagon blacklist battle, urges temporary restraining orderGot a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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