Who Is Asha Sharma? Indian-Origin Tech Leader Named CEO Of Microsoft Gaming, To Lead Xbox Division

· Free Press Journal

Tech giant Microsoft has appointed Indian-origin executive Asha Sharma as Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, succeeding longtime Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who is retiring after nearly four decades with the company.

This marks one of the biggest leadership changes in Xbox’s history and could reshape the company’s future. With Asha Sharma at the helm, Microsoft Gaming is expected to lean more into AI innovation and expand its presence across consoles, PC, mobile and cloud, reflecting how gaming is increasingly moving beyond a single device.

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Who Is Asha Sharma?

Asha Sharma is an alumna of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and brings nearly 15 years of experience across technology, product strategy and operational leadership, according to her professional profile.

She began her career at Microsoft in 2011, working in the company’s marketing division. After two years, she moved to Porch Group, where she served as Chief Operating Officer and played a pivotal role in scaling the business. During her tenure, she led product, engineering, sales, marketing and operations functions and was part of the leadership team that guided the company to its $1 billion public debut. She had earlier served as Chief Marketing Officer and remained a board member from 2015 to 2022.

In 2017, Sharma joined Meta as Vice President of Product and Engineering. She later served as Head of Product for Messenger and Instagram Direct and was appointed General Manager overseeing calling, video and youth-focused experiences. Prior to these roles, she worked as Director of Social Impact Products.

Sharma subsequently joined Instacart as Chief Operating Officer, where she spent three years helping steer the company toward profitability and a successful IPO. She managed a profit-and-loss portfolio exceeding $30 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV), overseeing product, design, data science, research, marketing, operations, customer support and new business initiatives.

In 2024, she returned to Microsoft as President, Core AI Product. In that capacity, she led global product strategy for AI models, applications, agents, responsible AI frameworks and developer tools. She had previously held the position of Corporate Vice President and Head of Product for Microsoft’s AI Platform.

A Strategic Shift For Xbox

Under her leadership, Microsoft Gaming including Xbox, Bethesda, Activision Blizzard and King enters a new phase. Microsoft noted that the gaming division now spans nearly 40 studios and oversees iconic franchises such as Halo, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush.

Matt Booty has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, reporting directly to Sharma.

Sharma’s Vision: Great Games, Stronger Xbox, Future Of Play

In a message to employees published on Microsoft’s blog, Sharma struck a tone of humility and urgency, acknowledging the creative legacy built over decades while emphasising the need to adapt to rapid change in the gaming industry.

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She outlined three core commitments:

Great Games First: Sharma said Microsoft will prioritise unforgettable storytelling, bold innovation and creative excellence, empowering studios and investing in iconic franchises while backing new ideas.

The Return Of Xbox: She pledged renewed focus on core Xbox fans and console heritage, while expanding seamlessly across PC, mobile and cloud platforms.

Future Of Play: Sharma emphasised innovation in business models and AI integration but made it clear that games would remain human-crafted art, not reduced to soulless automation.

“Gaming now lives across devices, not within the limits of any single piece of hardware,” she said, underscoring her cross-platform strategy.

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