USA
Indian-American Asha Sharma Named CEO of Microsoft Gaming: Microsoft has appointed Indian-origin executive Asha Sharma as Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, placing her in charge of the company’s global gaming business, including the Xbox platform.
The announcement was made by Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, who said Sharma’s experience in building global digital platforms and scaling services used by billions of people will help lead Microsoft’s gaming division into its next phase of growth. She succeeds longtime gaming chief Phil Spencer, who is retiring after nearly four decades with the company.
Microsoft Gaming today reaches more than 500 million monthly active users worldwide and manages nearly 40 studios, making it one of the largest gaming ecosystems globally.
A Career Across Major Tech Platforms
Sharma brings extensive experience in product development, operations, and large-scale technology platforms. She most recently led product development for Microsoft’s CoreAI division, which oversees tools, models, and infrastructure supporting the company’s AI ecosystem.
Before returning to Microsoft in 2024, Sharma served as Chief Operating Officer of Instacart, where she oversaw product, design, marketing, logistics, and operations, helping guide the company during a period of rapid growth and public listing.
Earlier in her career, she spent several years at Meta as Vice President of Product and Engineering, leading messaging platforms including Messenger and Instagram Direct. She also held senior leadership roles at Porch Group and began her career at Microsoft in 2011 before returning more than a decade later.
Vision for the Future of Gaming
In her first message to employees, Sharma emphasized three priorities for Microsoft Gaming: creating great games, strengthening Xbox’s core platform, and shaping the future of play across devices.
She noted that while artificial intelligence will play an increasing role in gaming, creativity will remain at the center of the industry. “Games are and always will be art, crafted by humans,” Sharma said, stressing that technology should empower developers and players rather than replace creative expression.
Industry observers say Sharma’s appointment reflects Microsoft’s strategy to combine AI, cloud computing, and global gaming platforms as the company competes in the rapidly evolving interactive entertainment market.
