Xbox’s first chief operating officer is out after just a few months

Key points

• Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today after 21 years at the company.
• She was promoted to Xbox's first chief operating officer in July.
• Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the departure in a short internal memo.

Xbox's first chief operating officer, Helen Chiang, is leaving Microsoft today, according to an internal Xbox memo seen by The Verge. Chiang had been at Microsoft for 21 years and served as head of Minecraft before being promoted to the newly created COO role in July.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the departure in a short memo. "Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today. I'm grateful for her years of service and wish her well," Sharma said.

Responsibilities split among leaders

Chiang's immediate responsibilities are being divided among other Xbox leaders for now. Sharma said the company will share more on COO leadership as plans are finalized, suggesting the position will continue.

It is not clear why Chiang is departing after such a short time in the role. When she was promoted, Sharma described the COO position as a first for Xbox, with end-to-end profit and loss responsibility across content, hardware, platform, and services, created as part of a broader reset.

Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today. I'm grateful for her years of service and wish her well.

— Asha Sharma

Layoff rumors and company response

Chiang's departure comes amid rumors that Xbox is preparing more layoffs this month, in November, and January. The short memo and the reassignment of her duties to other leaders made it appear the exit was not a resignation.

Microsoft declined to discuss the circumstances of her exit. "We don't discuss individual personnel matters," said Kari Perez, Xbox vice president of communications, adding that the company is grateful for Helen's years of service and wishes her well.