Former Microsoft lead Panos Panay will be the next head of Amazon's devices team

Microsoft and Amazon have a history of teaming up to make their devices and apps more user-friendly. Remember when they joined forces to bring Android apps to PCs with Windows 11 or when they partnered to bring Skype calling to Alexa devices? Well, they might not be working on a project together right now, but they still have something in common.

Panos Panay, a former Microsoft exec, is taking the reins at Amazon in the Devices & Services (D&S) division (via Engadget). He is stepping into the shoes of Dave Limp, the current head of D&S, who is leaving Amazon to become the CEO of Jeff Bezos' space company, Blue Origin.

Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, said that “as a strong product builder and inventor who has deep experience in both hardware and integrated services, Panos will be a great addition to our D&S organization moving forward.”

Panay spent the last 19+ years at Microsoft, where he was most recently the EVP and Chief Product Officer, leading the Windows + Devices division. He oversaw the development of Surface devices and of Windows 11. Now, he is going to be in charge of the Alexa and Echo teams at Amazon. This move could mean Amazon's D&S division is shifting its focus.

For the first few months, Panay will be working closely with Dave Limp, who was Amazon’s head of devices and services for over 13 years. Limp played a pivotal role in developing and launching various products, including Echo, Alexa, and Amazon's line of Fire tablets.

Such transitions of senior staff from one tech company to another are common. For example, in 2013, Hugo Barra, a former Google executive, joined Xiaomi as Vice President. He played a key role in Xiaomi's international expansion before eventually leaving the company to join Facebook, which he left in 2021.