Xbox appoints Helen Chiang as first chief operating officer

• Helen Chiang has been appointed Xbox's first chief operating officer.
• Chiang previously led Mojang and the Minecraft franchise.
• The appointment forms part of Microsoft's wider Xbox restructuring.
• Xbox veteran Dave McCarthy will retire after 17 years.

Microsoft has appointed Helen Chiang as Xbox’s first chief operating officer, creating a new executive role as part of the company’s wider restructuring. 

The appointment was announced by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who said the new position is intended to bring the company’s gaming business under a single operating model and improve investment decisions across the board. 

Chiang, who most recently led Mojang Studios and the Minecraft franchise, will oversee Xbox’s day-to-day operations across its content, hardware and platform teams, reporting directly to Sharma. 

Leadership shift

Sharma highlighted Chiang’s nearly two decades at Xbox, where she has worked across some of the company’s most important businesses, including Xbox Live, before going on to lead Mojang and the Minecraft franchise. 

"She will bring our businesses together under one operating model, making sure we make clear investment decisions, learn from our successes and failures, and hold ourselves accountable for results," Sharma said. 

The leadership changes also include the retirement of Xbox veteran Dave McCarthy, who is stepping down after 17 years with the company.  

The appointment comes as Xbox continues a broader overhaul of its games business, having recently confirmed cuts of approximately 3,200 roles and parting ways from four Xbox studios.

It also announced that Mojang and King will now report directly to Xbox leadership as part of the overall reset.