Microsoft has appointed Asha Sharma as CEO of its gaming division, tapping the former Instacart and Meta executive to lead Xbox’s next era of global growth as the company doubles down on innovation and scale in the rapidly evolving gaming industry
In a significant leadership announcement, Microsoft has appointed Indian-origin executive Asha Sharma as Chief Executive Officer of its gaming division, signaling the company’s continued push to expand and innovate in the global gaming industry.
Sharma brings extensive experience in building and scaling global consumer platforms. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
Prior to joining Microsoft Gaming, Sharma served as Chief Operating Officer at Instacart, where she managed full profit-and-loss responsibilities and oversaw product, design, data science, research, marketing, operations, customer support and new business initiatives.
Earlier, she was Vice President of Product at Meta, leading key communication platforms such as Messenger, Instagram Direct, Messenger Kids and remote calling and video services, along with broader company-wide platform services.
Her appointment comes as Microsoft continues to grow its gaming ecosystem. In a LinkedIn post, Sharma noted that Xbox has evolved over the past 25 years to reach more than 500 million monthly active players worldwide. The platform now spans nearly 40 studios across Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, King, Mojang and Xbox Game Studios, with blockbuster franchises including Halo, Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Candy Crush and Fallout.
Sharma said she is honored to lead Microsoft Gaming, describing video games as one of the most powerful art forms capable of connecting people globally and unlocking creative opportunities for developers, artists and entrepreneurs.
“I am stepping into work shaped by generations of artists, engineers, designers, writers, musicians and operators who have created worlds that brought joy and meaning to hundreds of millions of players,” Sharma said in an official statement, praising the craftsmanship behind Xbox’s legacy.
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that gaming remains central to the company’s broader consumer strategy. He said Sharma’s expertise in scaling platforms, aligning business models with long-term value and operating at global scale will be critical as Microsoft enters its next phase of gaming growth.
Her appointment underscores Microsoft’s focus on innovation, scale and long-term strategy as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies reshape how games are developed, distributed and experienced worldwide.
