Microsoft moves PR under legal chief Brad Smith
Microsoft is relocating its communications team from marketing to its Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs division. Brad Smith, vice chair and president, will take oversight of communications as the company searches for a new chief communications officer. The shift is part of an effort to adapt to a more fragmented media landscape, with Brent Colburn serving as interim leader.
The move shifts communications out of the marketing department into the Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) unit. Brad Smith, who serves as vice chair and president, will now have oversight. This follows the announced departure of Frank Shaw, the long-time chief communications officer, with Brent Colburn stepping in temporarily.
The restructuring reflects a response to a more chaotic media landscape. Nadella's memo suggests a desire to have product engineers and sellers more directly involved in storytelling, a tactic noted as similar to AI research labs. Smith's existing role as a global policy representative makes him a natural fit for this consolidated structure, while a permanent replacement for Shaw is still being sought.
Consolidating communications under a legal chief could signal a more cautious, compliance-driven public messaging from Microsoft. This may reduce spontaneous product marketing and increase focus on regulatory and policy narratives, potentially affecting how the public perceives Microsoft's innovations and its stance on AI and legal issues. It could also mean more direct communication from engineers, but with legal oversight, possibly leading to more sanitized or defensive public statements.