Stephen Elop is leaving Microsoft

Former Nokia boss Stephen Elop is leaving Microsoft a little over a year after overseeing its purchase of the Finnish mobile firm.

Former executive VP of operating systems Terry Myerson is to fill his shoes, overseeing a newly formed group called Windows and Devices.

We are aligning our engineering efforts and capabilities to deliver on our strategy and, in particular, our three core ambitions,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. This change will enable us to deliver better products and services that our customers love at a more rapid pace.”

Nadella added in an internal memo published by TNW that: "When Stephen Elop returned to Microsoft, he oriented MDG to create the best Microsoft experience through its devices, inclusive of hardware, software and services.

He has been a strong advocate of the need to drive focus and accountability around the delivery of these experiences and has helped drive tighter alignment toward the ambition of more personal computing.

"With the structural change described above, Stephen and I have agreed that now is the right time for him to retire from Microsoft. I regret the loss of leadership that this represents, and look forward to seeing where his next destination will be."