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Xbox COO Helen Chiang leaves Microsoft months after role was created
The Verge, citing an internal memo, reported Helen Chiang left Microsoft on Friday after becoming Xbox's first chief operating officer in July.
- Techmeme is now reporting this
- New headline Was: “Xbox’s first chief operating officer is out after just a few months”
- Our desk filed its story
Helen Chiang, Xbox's first chief operating officer, left Microsoft on Friday after 21 years at the company, The Verge reported, citing an internal Xbox memo1.
Chiang had headed Minecraft before Xbox promoted her to the new COO job in July, with what Xbox CEO Asha Sharma then described as end-to-end profit-and-loss responsibility across content, hardware, platform and services1.
Sharma announced the exit in a short memo, The Verge said, writing that Chiang was leaving Microsoft that day and that her immediate duties would be split among other Xbox leaders while COO plans were finalized1.
The Verge said it was not clear why Chiang left after a brief time in the role, and that the company still appeared to intend to keep a COO1.
Microsoft declined to discuss the circumstances, The Verge reported. Kari Perez, Xbox vice president of communications, said the company does not discuss individual personnel matters and that it was grateful for Chiang's years of service1.
Techmeme carried the Verge account, highlighting the Oct. 23 departure, Chiang's tenure and how recently the COO post was created2.
The Verge placed the news against rumors of further Xbox layoffs this month, in November and in January; those rumors were not independently confirmed in Friday's memo coverage1.
Sources
How it’s being reported
2 sources
Xbox’s first chief operating officer is out after just a few months
The short tenure in a newly created COO role and Microsoft's refusal to discuss why she left.
Tom Warren reports Chiang left Microsoft on Friday after 21 years, citing an Xbox memo and a brief note from CEO Asha Sharma.
Memo: Helen Chiang, Xbox's first COO, is leaving Microsoft on October 23, just months after the role was created; she spent 21 years at the company (Tom Warren/The Verge)
The date of exit, the newness of the COO job and Chiang's 21 years at Microsoft.
Aggregator item pointing to Tom Warren's Verge report on Chiang's departure.
Leaves out Sharma's memo wording, the split of duties and Microsoft's no-comment on personnel.