Microsoft just named Asha Sharma as its new Xbox CEO. Read the memos.
Business Insider
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Microsoft has announced significant leadership changes in its gaming division, marking a new era for Xbox. Phil Spencer, who led Microsoft's gaming business for over a decade, is retiring after an illustrious career that transformed Xbox into a subscription- and services-driven platform. His successor, Asha Sharma, a veteran from the company's CoreAI group, will take on the role of CEO, while Matt Booty has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer. Sarah Bond, Xbox's president, is leaving the company during this transition.
Phil Spencer's tenure was marked by groundbreaking achievements, including tripling the size of Microsoft's gaming business, leading major acquisitions like Activision Blizzard, and expanding Xbox's reach across PC, mobile, and cloud gaming. His legacy includes turning Xbox into a global entertainment powerhouse with over 500 million monthly active users. Spencer's retirement is bittersweet, as he remains a key figure in the gaming industry, but his departure ushers in a new chapter for Microsoft Gaming.
Asha Sharma brings extensive experience in scaling platforms and aligning business models to long-term value, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Instacart and Vice President of Product and Engineering at Meta. Her appointment reflects Microsoft's strategic focus on innovation and growth in the gaming sector. Matt Booty, a longtime executive at Microsoft, will
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Originally published on Business Insider on 2/20/2026