Microsoft Xbox boss Phil Spencer just got a big promotion, and will now report directly to CEO Satya Nadella (MSFT)

Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft's Xbox group and the company's overall video game initiatives, was promoted today to the title of Executive Vice President of Gaming, Business Insider has learned.

The new title comes with a big responsibility bump. Spencer will now report directly to CEO Satya Nadella, as a member of his executive leadership team.

The change follows a reorganization ordered by Nadella in July of this year. That reorganization was intended to streamline the company's operations to focus more on selling specific "customer solutions," with video games identified as a core area of interest.

Prior to the promotion, Spencer reported to Terry Myerson, the Executive VP of the Windows and Devices Group (WDG). We're hearing that even after this change, Spencer's gaming team will still work closely with WDG, relying on the group's HR, sales, and marketing teams. 

Spencer has been with Microsoft since 1988, starting as an intern. He assumed control of the Xbox division soon after Nadella became CEO in 2014. 

The promotion isn't the only big change at Microsoft this week. The company is shifting its Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS) team, helmed by longtime executive Brad Anderson, from its cloud and enterprise (C&E) division into WDG. That should make it easier for the team to build security features straight into Windows 10 and Surface devices.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft is undergoing another huge reorganization to sell more cloud subscriptions and less software

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Contributer : Tech Insider http://ift.tt/2xc0wUp

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