Who Is Asha Sharma? Indian-Origin Executive Appointed CEO Of Microsoft Gaming To Lead Xbox | Tech News

Asha Sharma is an Indian-origin technology executive who has been appointed as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, the division that oversees Xbox and the company’s broader gaming strategy.

She succeeds longtime Xbox chief Phil Spencer and takes charge at a time when Microsoft is reshaping its gaming business amid industry-wide shifts toward cloud gaming, subscriptions and cross-device play.

Early Career And Background

Sharma has built her career at the intersection of technology, product development and business strategy. She previously held leadership roles at Microsoft earlier in her career before moving on to senior positions at major tech firms.

She served as Chief Operating Officer at Instacart, where she played a key role in steering the company toward profitability and its public listing. Prior to that, she held product leadership roles at Meta, contributing to large-scale consumer technology platforms.

Return To Microsoft

Before taking over Microsoft Gaming, Sharma was leading Microsoft’s Core AI product group, focusing on artificial intelligence tools, applications and platform integration. Her background in AI and product innovation is seen as central to Microsoft’s evolving gaming strategy.

What Her Appointment Means

Her elevation to CEO signals Microsoft’s intent to blend gaming, cloud services and AI-driven experiences more closely. With Xbox increasingly expanding beyond console hardware into subscription services and multi-device ecosystems, Sharma’s product-focused and AI-driven leadership is expected to shape the next phase of Microsoft’s gaming ambitions.

Her appointment also marks another high-profile leadership role for an Indian-origin executive in the global technology sector.