Xbox’s first COO leaves after three months

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Helen Chiang, Xbox’s first chief operating officer appointed three months ago, has left Microsoft effective immediately with no given reason. Her departure comes as Xbox continues a major restructuring that includes significant job cuts, and her duties are now assigned to other division leaders until a new COO is named.

Helen Chiang, who was appointed as Xbox’s first chief operating officer (COO) just three months ago, has departed from Microsoft, according to an internal communication from Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma. The announcement, made in a brief note to staff, confirmed that Chiang's exit took effect immediately, with no explanation provided for her sudden departure.

Chiang joined Microsoft 21 years ago and previously led the Minecraft franchise before her promotion to COO in July 2026. The newly created role was tasked with overseeing profit and loss across multiple areas, including content, hardware, platform, and services, as part of a broader restructuring effort within Xbox.

Following Chiang's exit, her responsibilities are currently being distributed among other leaders within the Xbox division. Sharma indicated that further updates regarding permanent COO leadership would be shared once plans have been finalized.

This leadership change occurs amid ongoing organizational adjustments at Xbox, which were outlined by Sharma in the summer. The restructuring plan anticipates the reduction of up to 3,200 positions over the next year as the company seeks to realign its operations and strategic focus.

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