Tag: communications

  • Microsoft Restructures Communications: Moves Team Under Brad Smith, Empowers Employees

    Microsoft is undergoing a major organizational shift, moving its communications function out of the marketing department and into the corporate, external, and legal affairs group led by Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. The change, announced by CEO Satya Nadella, aims to give the company a more direct and authentic public voice amid what Nadella described as an increasingly fragmented and noisy media environment.

    Under the new structure, communications will sit alongside Microsoft’s legal, regulatory, public policy, antitrust, litigation, and government-relations teams. Despite the separation, Microsoft will continue to coordinate its communications and marketing operations closely.

    Employees to Play a Larger Role in Public Messaging

    The restructuring signals a broader shift in Microsoft’s communications strategy. Nadella wants employees who work directly with products and customers—such as engineers, sales teams, and partners—to have a greater role in explaining the company’s work. More employees and executives are expected to represent Microsoft publicly, including through social media, according to a memo from Brad Smith.

    Nadella emphasized that “people closest to Microsoft’s products and customers have a strong opportunity to shape how the company is understood.” He also indicated that Microsoft will experiment with new approaches and evolve its communications strategy over time.

    Frank Shaw Moves to Advisory Role

    The reorganization also affects longtime communications chief Frank X. Shaw, who announced earlier this month that he would leave Microsoft at the end of 2026 after more than two decades. During the transition, Shaw will step away from his current responsibilities and serve as an adviser to Smith and interim communications leader Brent Colburn. Colburn, Microsoft’s vice president of global public affairs, has been named interim communications leader and will remain through December to oversee the handover.

    Microsoft plans to search for a permanent chief communications officer, considering both internal and external candidates.

  • Microsoft Communications Chief Frank Shaw Departs After Nearly Three Decades

    Microsoft Communications Chief Frank Shaw Departs After Nearly Three Decades

    Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft’s chief communications officer, is stepping down after nearly 29 years with the company. Shaw announced the decision through an internal memo to his team on Friday, September 11, and later shared the news publicly on LinkedIn. He will stay on until the end of December to help with the transition.

    Shaw held the top communications role at Microsoft for 17 years, and his ties to the company go back even further through his earlier work at the outside PR agency Waggener Edstrom. In his note to staff, Shaw said he felt it was time to move on and try new things. He said he was discussing the move with Takeshi Numoto, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer, for a while, and both agreed the timing felt right.

    “I remain optimistic about the company mission, the incredible talent on this team, and how much the company depends on us during this critical time,” Shaw wrote. He added that the team accomplished a great deal together and called his gratitude endless. Shaw also thanked the reporters and analysts he worked with over the years, joking about the late-night calls and the “off the record no comments” he had given them.

    In his own note to employees, Numoto said few people shaped Microsoft’s voice and reputation as much as Shaw. Microsoft did not name a replacement yet and says it will look at candidates from inside and outside the company.

    Shaw, 64, first began supporting Microsoft’s communications in 1997, long before he formally joined the company. Over the years, he guided the company’s public messaging through multiple CEO transitions, several Windows and Office launches, the antitrust battles of the early 2000s, and the Windows Vista backlash. He also handled communications around major acquisitions, including LinkedIn and Activision Blizzard, and helped position Microsoft during its shift toward cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

    Reports suggest Shaw does not plan to retire. He does not have another job lined up yet and intends to take some time off before deciding on his next move. His exit adds to a string of long-serving Microsoft executives who have left the company this year, marking a notable shift in its leadership ranks.

  • Contact MIT Media Relations: Press Inquiry Information and Staff Directory

    Press Inquiries

    Contact Information

    MIT Media Relations | Institute Office of Communications
    Room 11-400, 77 Massachusetts Ave.
    Cambridge, MA 02139
    Email: expertrequests@mit.edu

    Media Relations Staff

    Please note that when emailing expertrequests@mit.edu you do not need to add individual addresses.

    • Kimberly Allen — Executive Director of Media Relations
      Email: allenkc@mit.edu
      Phone: 617-253-2702
    • Sarah McDonnell — Deputy Director of Media Relations
      Email: s_mcd@mit.edu
      Phone: 617-253-8923
    • Abby Abazorius — Senior Media Relations Strategist
      Email: abbya@mit.edu
      Phone: 617-253-2709
    • Sophia Schlichtmann — Media Relations Assistant
      Email: sschlich@mit.edu
      Phone: 617-253-1682

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

  • MIT News Office: Mission, Services, and Contact Information

    The MIT News Office, part of the Institute Office of Communications, serves as the primary hub for promoting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s research, innovations, teaching, and notable events and individuals. It caters to the campus community, news media, and the general public, ensuring that MIT’s achievements and announcements reach a wide audience.

    Key responsibilities of the office include:

    • Promoting MIT’s research, innovations, teaching, and newsworthy events and people.
    • Communicating official Institute announcements.
    • Publishing community news for MIT faculty, students, staff, and alumni.
    • Providing media services and advice on working with journalists.
    • Responding to media inquiries and interview requests.
    • Assisting with film crew requests and handling necessary permits.
    • Managing public relations for major announcements, news conferences, and symposia.
    • Serving as a public information office during emergencies and crises.

    The office publishes content across multiple platforms, including the MIT homepage, the MIT News website (featuring articles, announcements, photos, and videos), MIT Daily and Weekly newsletters, the MIT YouTube channel, and photographs and multimedia.

    For inquiries, the MIT News Office can be reached at:

    Address: 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 11-400, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
    Email: newsoffice@mit.edu
    Phone: 617-253-2700
    Fax: 617-258-8762

    Directions to the office are available upon request. For more information, visit the MIT website or follow MIT on social media platforms including X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.