Panos Panay, Godfather of the Surface, Leaves Microsoft for Amazon

Panos Panay, Microsoft’s chief product officer and the person responsible for development of the Surface and Windows 11, left the tech giant after 19 years on Sept. 18. Amazon confirmed Wednesday that Panay will be joining its company in October. 

Microsoft announced Panay’s departure last week via email. Previously, he was the head of the company’s Windows and Devices team.

“Thank you, Panos, for your impact on our products, culture, company, and industry over the past two decades. I’m grateful for your leadership, support, and all you’ve done for Microsoft and our customers and partners,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in an emailed statement. 

Panay tweeted the same day about his decision to leave the company. 

“After 19 incredible years at Microsoft, I’ve decided to turn the page and write the next chapter,” he said. “I’m forever grateful for my time at Microsoft and the amazing people I had the honor to make products with.” 

Panay didn’t indicate where he will be working next, but Bloomberg first reported that the former Microsoft executive would head to Amazon.

Amazon said in a blog post Wednesday that Panay will head up the company’s devices and services team. He’ll start work with the company at the end of October. 

Panay began work on the Surface in 2008. The idea at the time was for Microsoft to have its own touch-based hardware to coincide with the release of Windows 8, which made use of touch-based controls. Since its initial launch in 2012, Panay has been the face of the Surface, regularly presenting the newest iterations at Microsoft events.