Joe Belfiore, the former head of Windows Phone, to leave Microsoft after 32 years
Belfiore led Windows Phone, Windows 10, and Office during a career spanning three decades.
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What you need to know
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore will leave Microsoft after 32 years with the company. Belfiore has served in several roles at Microsoft but is currently the CVP of Office. His plans to retire were announced internally in an email sent out to employees (viaZDNet) and later shared publicly onTwitter.
Belfiore will be a senior advisor and coach to aid the transition until summer 2023. The Office Group will be led by CVP Ales Holecek, who has led the division alongside Belfiore for several years, and CVP Sumit Chauhan, who will move up from their role as head of Office Organization.
Many of our readers know Belfiore best for his time in charge of Windows Phone. He co-led that division from 2009 to 2013, which included Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia. Belfiore then went on to lead the Windows 10 team for almost five years.
In 2018, Belfiore moved to a new role leading the Essential Products Group, which included Windows 10, Microsoft Edge, Surface software, and several mobile applications. He then became head of the Office Product Group, which is his current role. Belfiore’s full work experience is detailed onLinkedIn.
Today I shared with my team that after 32 fantastic years (!) I’ll be retiring from @Microsoft! What’s next? 1) I’m staying on until summer to help with the transition (SO MUCH GOODNESS COMING), then 2) focus on the two kids still at home & the 1 who just started college. :)October 27, 2022
Belfiore explained on Twitter that he will focus on spending time with his family following his departure from Microsoft. Occasionally in the corporate world, the phrase “spend more time with family” is code for a forced departure. That doesn’t appear to be the case here. ZDNet reported that Belfiore’s move was a personal decision and that the Office team’s priorities will remain the same after his departure.
Belfiore took a leave of absence for one year in 2015 to spend time with his family. He then returned and worked for Microsoft until 2020 before taking another leave of absence to travel with his family.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
