In a strategic move, Microsoft has appointed Pavan Davuluri, an alumnus of IIT Madras, as the head of both its Windows and Surface divisions. This decision comes after a brief period where the two teams operated under separate leaders. Davuluri, who previously led the Surface group, will now oversee the combined entity, reporting directly to Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Experiences and Devices.

This change signifies a return to the previous organizational structure and reflects Microsoft's commitment to a "holistic approach" in developing products and experiences for the "AI era," as stated by Jha in an internal memo.

Davuluri's impressive background:

With over 23 years of experience at Microsoft, Davuluri brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. He has been instrumental in optimizing Windows for Arm-based devices and has also contributed significantly to projects like Bing, Edge, and Copilot. His previous leadership of the Surface group, along with his collaboration with Qualcomm and AMD on Surface processors, further strengthens his qualifications for this new position.

The changing landscape of Microsoft:

This appointment comes amidst other significant structural changes within Microsoft. The formation of a new AI division, led by DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, has resulted in the integration of Mikhail Parakhin's Windows team into this new unit. This move aligns with Microsoft's anticipated focus on next-generation AI features and Arm-based Surface hardware.

Davuluri joins the ranks of Indian-origin tech leaders: Davuluri's appointment adds him to the growing list of Indian-origin individuals holding leadership positions in major tech companies. This prestigious group includes Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO), Sundar Pichai (Alphabet and Google CEO), Arvind Krishna (IBM Group CEO), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe Inc. CEO), and Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto Networks CEO).

With his extensive experience and proven track record, Pavan Davuluri is well-positioned to lead the Windows and Surface teams to new heights. His appointment also highlights the increasing prominence of Indian talent in the global tech landscape.