Microsoft’s consumer marketing chief to leave next year

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FollowSee All MicrosoftMicrosoft’s consumer marketing chief to leave next yearYusuf Mehdi has worked on Windows, Internet Explorer, Bing, and Xbox One throughout his 35-year career. Yusuf Mehdi has worked on Windows, Internet Explorer, Bing, and Xbox One throughout his 35-year career. by Tom Warren Tom WarrenSenior CorrespondentPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Technical Details

FollowSee All by Tom WarrenMay 22, 2026, 10:57 AM UTC Yusuf Mehdi launching Copilot Plus PCs in 2024. Image: Getty Tom Warren Tom WarrenPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Tom Warren is a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.

Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft, is leaving the company after 35 years. Mehdi announced his departure in an internal memo on Thursday, noting that he will leave Microsoft next year. He will remain focused on marketing for Windows, Copilot for consumers, and the Microsoft 365 consumer business until 2027.

“As I thought about this decision, one thing was crystal clear: I want to ensure I have the time and space to set the team - and our mission - up for continued success,” says Mehdi in his memo. “We are in the middle of an incredibly important moment for Microsoft and for our customers. ”GeekWire reports that Mehdi is working with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and chief marketing officer Takeshi Numoto on a transition plan, but the company has not yet named his successor.

Industry Implications

Mehdi is the latest in a wave of veteran executives who have announced their departure from Microsoft in recent months. RelatedInside Microsoft’s wave of executive departuresMicrosoft’s head of experiences and devices is retiring, triggering a shakeupXbox chief Phil Spencer is leaving MicrosoftRajesh Jha, former executive vice president of Microsoft’s experiences and devices group, announced in March that he is retiring after more than 35 years at Microsoft. Jha’s departure has triggered a flattening of Microsoft’s upper management for Windows, Office, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and more.

Mehdi originally started at Microsoft as an intern in the ’90s, just like many veteran employees. He worked on the launch of Windows 3. 1 and Windows 95 early in his career, as well as the marketing for Internet Explorer.

He also spent more than 10 years running Microsoft’s search and online businesses, including helping launch Bing.

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.