In the modern history of global technology leadership, few names reflect both technical depth and human-centered vision as powerfully as Rajesh Jha. A quiet force behind some of Microsoft’s most transformative decades, Rajesh Jha stands today as the Executive Vice President of Experiences + Devices at Microsoft, reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella and serving on the company’s elite Senior Leadership Team.
Rajesh Jha: A Leadership Role at the Heart of Microsoft’s Future (2026)
As of early 2026, Rajesh Jha occupies one of the most influential leadership positions inside Microsoft. His portfolio sits at the intersection of productivity, hardware, operating systems, and artificial intelligence, shaping how hundreds of millions of people work, collaborate, and create every day.
Key Responsibilities Under Rajesh Jha’s Leadership
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Microsoft 365 Ecosystem
Rajesh Jha oversees Microsoft’s productivity crown jewel—Microsoft 365, including Office applications, Teams, SharePoint, Exchange, and collaboration services used across enterprises, governments, and educational institutions worldwide. -
Windows & Devices
He leads the teams responsible for Windows, the world’s most widely used operating system, as well as Surface hardware, blending software and devices into a unified user experience. -
AI-First Transformation
A central figure in Microsoft’s AI strategy, Rajesh Jha drives the integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot, embedding AI deeply into everyday workflows for consumers and enterprises alike. -
Expanded Executive Leadership
Following Microsoft’s 2025 executive restructuring, senior leaders such as LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky and Charles Lamanna, who leads Copilot for Business, began reporting to Rajesh Jha—further cementing his strategic importance to Microsoft’s future.
A Journey That Began With Curiosity, Not Titles
Rajesh Jha’s story begins not in boardrooms but in classrooms and labs, driven by a love for problem-solving and computer science.
Education That Built the Foundation
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Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Computer Science
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras -
Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science
University of Massachusetts Amherst
This strong academic grounding equipped Rajesh Jha with both rigor and imagination, qualities that would define his career.
Rajesh Jha: Joining Microsoft: A 35-Year Commitment to One Company
In 1990, Rajesh Jha joined Microsoft immediately after completing his studies, a rare commitment that would evolve into one of the longest and most impactful tenures in the company’s history.
Early Engineering Years
He began as a software design engineer in the Microsoft Works division, where he contributed to multiple product releases. These formative years sharpened his understanding of real users, not just abstract systems.
Soon, his technical excellence propelled him into leadership roles, including:
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Development of multimedia technologies
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Oversight of early internet offerings
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Pioneering work on cloud-delivered services, long before “cloud” became a buzzword
Rajesh Jha also holds multiple patents from this period, reflecting his hands-on engineering mindset.
Office Live: A Big Heart for Small Businesses
When Microsoft was often criticized as being “all balance sheet and no soul,” Rajesh Jha became one of the company’s most human faces.
As Corporate Vice President for Microsoft Office Live, he championed an idea that went against conventional corporate logic: serve the smallest businesses first.
A Vision Rooted in Empathy
Rajesh Jha believed that small businesses—often run from homes and tiny offices—were the real backbone of the economy. Most lacked IT expertise and affordable tools, yet they carried enormous ambition.
Office Live, launched in 2006, was designed to:
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Make complex technology affordable
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Remove technical barriers
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Empower businesses with 10 employees or fewer
The results spoke for themselves. Within months, over 160,000 small businesses adopted Office Live—proving that empathy, when paired with innovation, is a powerful growth engine.
Reinventing Productivity: The Birth of Office 365
Perhaps Rajesh Jha’s most enduring legacy lies in the reinvention of Microsoft Office itself.
As Corporate Vice President overseeing Exchange, SharePoint, Outlook, Project, and related services, he led the early planning and execution of what would become Office 365.
From Software to Service
Under Rajesh Jha’s leadership:
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Office shifted from boxed software to cloud-based subscriptions
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Productivity became cross-platform and always connected
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Security, analytics, and collaboration became core pillars
Office 365 evolved into one of the fastest-growing commercial services in the technology industry, used by organizations across the globe.
Executive Vice President: Leading at Global Scale
As Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Office Product Group, and later Experiences + Devices, Rajesh Jha has led engineering and service teams spanning:
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Office 365
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SharePoint
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Exchange
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Skype
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OneNote
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Teams
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Windows
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Surface
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AI-powered Copilot experiences
His leadership helped turn Microsoft’s “mobile-first, cloud-first” vision into operational reality—and now drives its AI-first future.
Leadership Philosophy: Quiet Strength, Lasting Impact
Rajesh Jha is known internally not for loud proclamations but for:
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Deep listening
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Thoughtful decision-making
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Respect for engineers and end-users alike
He serves on advisory boards for:
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College of Information and Computer Sciences, UMass Amherst
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Jagran Foundation, Bellevue, Washington
His leadership reflects a belief that technology should elevate human potential, not overshadow it.
Rajesh Jha: Recognition
For his exceptional contributions to software, productivity systems, and global business leadership, IIT Madras and its alumni community have honored Rajesh Jha, recognizing him as a role model for generations of engineers and entrepreneurs.