Microsoft Corp has hired senior engineer Jay Parikh for a senior executive role. Parikh will report directly to Satya Nadella and join the senior leadership team as a member.
“With that context, I’m excited to share that Jay Parikh is joining Microsoft as a member of the senior leadership team (SLT), reporting to me,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote in a blog.
Jay Parikh’s previous roles
Jay Parikh was previously the global head of engineering at Meta (formerly known as Facebook). He joined Facebook in 2009 and has worked on technical infrastructure and data centre projects.
Parikh also served as CEO of Lacework, a cloud security company. However, Microsoft has not revealed many details on Parikh’s new role.
“He has an impressive track record, with a unique combination of experiences building and scaling technical teams that serve both commercial customers and consumers,” Nadella said.
Parikh has headed several technical projects, including Meta’s initiative in subsea cables and the Aquila drone project. The subsea cables initiative invests in fibre-optic cables that connect two or more points on the ocean floor.
Meta’s Aquila drone project was an experimental solar-powered drone developed to be used as an atmospheric satellite. It aimed to provide internet access to remote areas. However, the project failed reportedly due to a strong wind and faulty software.
He has vast experience in Akamai and Ning and connections in start-ups and the VC landscape.
“His deep connections across the start-up and VC ecosystems, coupled with his leadership roles at Akamai and Ning, will bring a valuable perspective to Microsoft,” he said.
“Over the years I’ve known Jay, I’ve admired him as a technology leader and respected engineer with a deep commitment to driving innovation and striving for operational excellence,” Nadella said.
According to a Bloomberg report, Microsoft is currently struggling to bring data centres online to meet demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) products.
