IIT Madras graduate Pavan Davuluri is new Microsoft Windows boss, VP Rajesh Jha announces in memo

IIT Madras alumni Pavan Davuluri has been appointed as the new head of Microsoft Windows and Surface. Davuluri assumed the role following the departure of Panos Panay, who previously led the department.

Panay left his position last year to join Amazon. Notably, Microsoft had split the Windows and Surface groups, each under separate leadership. Previously, Davuluri oversaw Surface silicone work while Mikhail Parakhin led the Windows department. However, with Parakhin’s wish to explore “new roles”, Davuluri has taken responsibility for both Windows and Surface.

Davuluri has an Indian connection. He graduated from the prestigious IIT Madras. With his new position, he joins the ranks of Indians in leadership roles in tech companies in the US, alongside figures like Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella, amongst others.

In an internal letter by Rajesh Jha, Microsoft’s head of experience and devices, which was obtained by The Verge, Parakhin’s departure was announced and Davuluri’s new role was announced. Davuluri will now report to Jha. “As part of this change, we are bringing together the Windows Experiences and Windows + Devices teams as a core part of the Experiences + Devices (E+D) division. This will enable us to take a holistic approach to building silicon, systems, experiences, and devices that span Windows client and cloud for this AI era. Pavan Davuluri will lead this team and continue to report to me. Shilpa Ranganathan and Jeff Johnson and their teams will report directly to Pavan. The Windows team will continue to work closely with the Microsoft AI team on AI, silicon, and experiences,” he wrote.

Davuluri has been associated with Microsoft for over 23 years now. After his post graduation from University of Maryland, where he completed his MS, Davuluri joined Microsoft as the Reliability Component Manager.

In the memo, Rajesh Jha informed the team about organisational changes within the Windows and Web Experiences (WWE) team following the establishment of the Microsoft AI organisation. Mikhail Parakhin will explore new roles under Kevin Scott’s supervision, transitioning from WWE.

The merger of Windows Experiences and Windows + Devices into the Experiences + Devices (E+D) division aims to holistically develop systems, experiences, and devices for the AI era, led by Pavan Davuluri. Shilpa Ranganathan and Jeff Johnson will report to Davuluri directly.

The Windows team will collaborate closely with Microsoft AI on AI, silicon, and experiences. The Web Experiences team will now report to Mustafa within the Microsoft AI organization. Various leaders and their teams’ reporting structures are mentioned, including Jordi Ribas, Rukmini Iyer, and Mike Davidson. Rajesh expresses excitement about integrating AI products like Copilot into E+D products and services, aligning with Microsoft AI’s objectives.