Microsoft Comms Head Frank Shaw to Leave at Year’s End
Frank Shaw will stay through year-end as Microsoft works through next steps after his 17 years leading communications.
- On Friday, Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw announced he will leave Microsoft at the end of the year, stating he 'decided it is time for me to move on and try new things' while clarifying he is not retiring.
- During his nearly 29-year tenure—including 17 years as chief communications officer—Shaw worked across three CEO eras, first at the Waggener Edstrom agency before joining Microsoft directly as an employee.
- Shaw defended Microsoft through antitrust battles, the Windows Vista backlash, and the 2023 OpenAI board crisis involving Sam Altman, while managing messaging as Azure surpassed $100 billion in annual revenue under CEO Satya Nadella.
- Microsoft has not yet named a successor and plans to consider both internal and external candidates for the role; Shaw will remain through December to support the leadership transition.
- In his farewell memo, Shaw invoked Stephen King's The Dark Tower, describing his team as his 'ka-tet'—a group brought together with shared mission and destiny—and closed with 'long days and pleasant nights, but not until December.
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Microsoft head of communications Frank Shaw leaving after nearly 30 years of shaping software giant’s public messaging
Shaw worked with all three of Microsoft's CEOs—Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella— and has played a major role in shaping much of how Microsoft communicates to the outside world.
Microsoft communications chief Frank Shaw to step down after nearly 20 years of service
Microsoft Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw is set to leave the company at the end of the year after nearly two decades at Microsoft and 29 years supporting its communications.
Microsoft’s head of comms is leaving after almost 20 years
Frank Shaw is leaving Microsoft after 17 years as chief communications officer. In an internal note to his team, Shaw says he's "decided it is time for me to move on and try new things," after supporting Microsoft's communications for 29 years - nearly 20 years as a Microsoft employee plus time at the Waggener […]
Microsoft comms chief Frank Shaw to exit after nearly three decades shaping the company’s message
Frank X. Shaw addresses the media at Microsoft on May 18, 2025, in advance of the Build conference. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop) It’s the end of an era at Microsoft: Frank X. Shaw, the executive who oversaw the tech giant’s communications for nearly three decades, first at an external agency and for the last 17 years as one of its senior leaders, is leaving at the end of the year. Shaw, 64, said he’s not retiring, although he doesn’t have anot…
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