Everyone was pretty shocked last week when it was revealed that not only would Phil Spencer be retiring as Microsoft Gaming CEO, but Xbox President Sarah Bond would also be departing at the same time.
Bond has since taken to LinkedIn to issue a statement on her departure from the company, which is actually a note she sent to her team when the news was announced. In the statement, she doesn’t explain exactly why she’s chosen to leave, aside from that it’s “the right time to take my next step, both personally and professionally”.
Here’s the statement in full:
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together over the past eight-plus years. PC and cloud gaming are growing faster than ever, our next console is well underway, and together we’ve helped lay the foundation for a more open gaming platform that spans devices and reaches players around the world.
When we announced our intention to acquire Activision Blizzard in 2022, I committed to helping lead Xbox through what would be a critical period of change. Over the past four years, we’ve navigated that moment together and positioned the business for what comes next. We took on some of the biggest challenges this organization has ever faced and did it as one team.
With that, I’ve decided this is the right time for me to take my next step, both personally and professionally. We’re living through a transformative technological era that will shape the next generation of our industry, and I’m energized by what’s ahead. This moment also presents a unique opportunity for fresh eyes and new leadership to guide the team into its next chapter. I’ve had the privilege of spending time with Asha over the last few weeks as we’ve planned for this transition, and I’ve seen firsthand her deep commitment to our players, developers, and brand. She brings deep technology and commerce experience, along with a strong track record of building and scaling platforms that the world uses. Xbox deserves this. I’m excited to see her lead this next chapter for our team. I’ll remain on as a Special Advisor to Asha to help ensure a smooth transition and set the organization up for continued success.
I want to thank Phil for his mentorship and friendship over the years. He’s been a consistent champion of this business and the people who make it what it is, and I’ve learned a great deal from the way he leads through both opportunity and challenge. I’m grateful for his trust and support throughout my time on the team. I also want to thank Satya for his sponsorship and support throughout my time at Microsoft.
As I prepare to sign off, I’ve been reflecting on three simple questions I’ve tried to use to guide my days:
Did I bring my best?
Did I help someone else succeed?
Did I do my best work?I hope the answer has been yes for many of you. It’s been a privilege to work alongside this team.”
As you can see, Bond uses this opportunity to highlight “some of the biggest challenges this organization has ever faced” and “[positioning] the business for what comes next”, while also hyping up the new Xbox boss Asha Sharma and complimenting Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella for their support during her time as Xbox President.
It goes without saying that we wish nothing but the best for Sarah Bond in her future endeavours, and we’re sure she’ll go on to do great things in her next role(s). Hopefully she’s right to be “energized by what’s ahead” for the industry too!