NRI Asha Sharma appointed Executive Vice President and CEO, Microsoft Gaming
Los Angeles/ Feb 23, 2026
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
Asha Sharma, Microsoft Corp has appointed as the new Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, taking the helm of the company’s gaming division, which includes the iconic Xbox platform. The announcement comes as long-time gaming chief Phil Spencer retires after nearly 40 years with the tech giant, marking a major leadership shift at the forefront of the global gaming industry.
Sharma, who previously led product development for Microsoft’s CoreAI division and has held senior leadership roles at companies like Meta and Instacart, will report directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In her new role, she is expected to focus on strengthening the Xbox ecosystem, advancing innovation, and recommitting to core console gamers amid growing competition and evolving market dynamics.
Bio of Asha Sharma
- Asha Sharma is an experienced tech leader, having almost 15 years of experience in product, operations and strategy.
- She is recognized for her experience at scale on prominent consumer platforms and has a reputation for leading companies through growth, digital transformation and IPOs.
- Her new appointment puts her in a growing list of Indian-origin leaders at the helm of global tech giants.
- Sharma attended the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, where she graduated with a business degree.
- Her educational background in management and strategy provided a foundation for her career focus on product innovation, efficient operations and growing markets.
- Asha Sharma Began Career at Microsoft in 2011 in marketing and product roles.
- Served as COO at Porch Group and contributing to its $1 billion public debut.
- Joined Meta as Vice President of Product and Engineering, leading Messenger and Instagram Direct initiatives.
- Became COO of Instacart, overseeing a $30 billion-plus GMV P&L and guiding the company to profitability and IPO.
- Returned to Microsoft in 2024 to head Core AI Product, managing AI models, developer tools and responsible AI systems.
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