Microsoft Moves Communications Under Brad Smith in Leadership Shake-Up
Microsoft is moving communications from marketing into its CELA organization under vice chair Brad Smith, with Brent Colburn serving as interim leader. Chief communications officer Frank Shaw will depart later this year after more than 17 years.
Microsoft announced in September 2026 that it is restructuring its communications function, moving it out of marketing and into the company’s Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) organization under the oversight of vice chair and president Brad Smith.
The change was announced by CEO Satya Nadella, who said he asked Smith to lead communications going forward. Brent Colburn will serve as interim communications leader during the transition, with the communications leadership team reporting to him. The move also marks the departure of Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s chief communications officer, who will leave the company later this year after more than 17 years. Shaw will continue advising Smith and Colburn through the transition period.
Nadella framed the restructuring as a response to a shifting media landscape. “In a media environment that is increasingly fragmented and noisier than ever, we need to continue to be grounded in our mission, earn trust each day, and find new ways to connect directly with all of our constituencies,” he wrote in an internal message.
Beyond the leadership change, Nadella signaled a broader shift in how Microsoft intends to approach communications — one that involves employees across the company more directly. He described wanting to give engineers, sellers, partners, and others “the tools and support” to help shape how Microsoft is understood publicly, connected by what he called “a shared strategy and set of principles.”
The restructuring could signal a tighter integration between Microsoft’s legal and policy operations and its public messaging, given that CELA handles the company’s external and regulatory affairs. Microsoft said it is searching for a permanent replacement for Shaw, though no timeline was provided.