The Microsoft logo and lettering can be seen on the Microsoft Deutschland GmbH headquarters building in Munich’s Parkstadt Schwabing.
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microsoft On Wednesday, the company announced that head of security Charlie Bell will take on a new role and that Haite Garrott will return to the company as head of security after her stint. google.
Mr. Bell joined Microsoft in 2021 after 23 years with the company. AmazonHe held key management roles within Amazon Web Services. He was seen as a possible candidate to become CEO of AWS, but Amazon chose former executive Adam Selipsky to run its market-leading cloud. Mr. Bell will transition to a position focused on engineering quality as an Individual Contributor (IC) and will continue to report to CEO Satya Nadella.
“Charlie and I have been planning this transition for some time, taking into account Charlie’s desire to move from organizational leadership to IC engineer,” Nadella wrote in a memo to employees. “And I love that he’s here full of energy practicing this skill every day!”
The changes come amid investor concerns that generative artificial intelligence models will hurt the growth prospects of mature software companies. Microsoft announced Tuesday that four sales executives will become vice presidents, a move the company said will improve its ability to serve customers while pursuing growth in AI.
Microsoft stock is down 14% since the beginning of the year, and the iShares Expanded Technology Software Sector ETF is down about 21%. In Microsoft’s earnings report last week, Azure growth was lower than some analysts expected.
Gallot joined Microsoft in 2009 in a strategy and business development role. According to her LinkedIn profile, she was a corporate vice president working on selling products in various categories, including security, when she moved to Google’s cloud division in 2024 to become president of customer experience.
“She brings an ethos that combines product building with customer value realization, which is so important right now,” Nadella wrote.
In his new role, Mr. Garotto will be executive vice president, reporting directly to Mr. Nadella. Ales Holecek, chief technology officer of Microsoft’s Experiences and Devices Group, which includes the Windows operating system and other products, will be chief architect of security and will report to Gallot, Nadella wrote.
During Bell’s tenure, Microsoft has had to deal with the fallout from notable cyberattacks. Microsoft announced in 2023 that China had compromised the email accounts of senior U.S. government officials, leading to a critical Department of Homeland Security report. Microsoft has made operational changes and started evaluating cybersecurity contributions in employee reviews that affect compensation.
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