Xbox's First COO Helen Chiang Exits Just Months After Taking the Job

The executive appointed to bring stability to Xbox is already out the door. According to a memo obtained by The Verge and reported by Kotaku, Helen Chiang, Xbox’s first-ever chief operating officer, has left Microsoft.

Her departure comes roughly three months after the COO role was created, a move Kotaku says was meant to secure long-term stability for a division in constant flux. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the exit in a brief internal message, thanking Chiang for her contributions and offering well wishes for her future.

Chiang, a Microsoft employee for over two decades, was most recently reassigned to the COO position this past July. That reshuffling occurred during a major wave of layoffs that impacted studios like Double Fine and Arkane Austin.

The company has not provided a reason for her sudden exit. When asked by The Verge, an Xbox representative declined to comment on individual personnel matters. Sharma's memo stated that details about a successor would be shared later.

Kotaku notes this is another shake-up in a chaotic year for Xbox, which has seen leadership changes, widespread layoffs, and major strategic shifts under CEO Asha Sharma.