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Microsoft puts Brad Smith in charge of communications
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Microsoft has placed vice chair and president Brad Smith in charge of communications, moving the function from marketing into its Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs organization. The surprise appointment follows the departure of longtime communications chief Frank Shaw, whose exit is planned for later this year. Smith will oversee the group while Microsoft searches for a permanent successor, with internal and external candidates both under consideration. The change puts one of Microsoft’s highest-ranking executives at the center of how the company explains its business, policies, and products.
Chief communications officer Frank Shaw announced earlier this month that he would leave after nearly three decades supporting Microsoft’s communications. Nadella’s internal memo credited him with more than 17 years of service to the company and its communications function. During that time, Shaw advised senior leaders through major corporate moments and helped shape the company’s public voice. His departure ends a long chapter, but he will remain available during the transition to advise Smith and interim leader Brent Colburn.
Colburn, Microsoft’s vice president of global public affairs, will serve as interim communications leader. He will continue reporting to Smith, oversee the communications leadership team, and help manage the handoff. Nadella said the company needs to communicate in a media environment that is “increasingly fragmented and noisier than ever.” Microsoft is also seeking a permanent replacement, although no successor or start date has been named.
The reshuffling transfers communications oversight from chief marketing officer Takeshi Numoto to Smith. Smith is already a familiar public representative, traveling to meet governments, regulators, and customers. That experience gives him a direct line to the stakeholders Microsoft must reassure as its products and policies face closer scrutiny. The move also expands the remit of an executive already deeply involved in corporate and policy discussions.
Nadella framed the change as a way to make Microsoft’s engineers, sellers, partners, and other employees more central to the company’s storytelling. The goal is to connect directly with audiences by giving teams closer to the work more tools and support. That emphasis carries particular weight as Microsoft competes with Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI in frontier AI. AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has said Microsoft aims to become one of the world’s top four AI laboratories and to “build the very best frontier models in the world.”
GeekWire compared the approach with AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, where researchers frequently lead demonstrations, technical posts, and product explanations. Nadella praised Smith as someone who could communicate complex ideas with “clarity, conviction, and trust.” He also thanked Shaw “for everything he has done for Microsoft,” framing the change as an evolution rather than a criticism of the departing chief. The announcement therefore emphasized continuity and technical credibility even as it broadened Smith’s responsibilities.
The immediate test will be whether the reorganized team can maintain a coherent message across corporate, policy, and product communications. Microsoft’s fall agenda, including important upcoming events, adds urgency to the search for a permanent leader. Smith’s appointment may give the company a more unified voice, but combining a large communications organization with CELA could also make coordination more complex. Ultimately, Microsoft’s ability to turn technical expertise into accessible, trusted storytelling will determine whether the reorganization delivers.
