LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky will now also oversee Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 Copilot. Roslansky will continue as CEO of LinkedIn, which runs mostly autonomously from Microsoft, but he will also be responsible for Microsoft's most famous applications.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the new Microsoft 365 Copilot will all fall under Roslansky's leadership.
CNBC reported the news. Microsoft sent an internal email about Roslansky's new role. The CEO has since discussed his additional role on LinkedIn:
"Office is one of the most iconic product suites in history. It has shaped how the world works, literally. The reach and impact of Office are unmatched. I’m coming into this role in a new, exciting era. Productivity, connection, and AI are converging at scale. Both Office and LinkedIn are used daily by professionals globally and I’m looking forward to redefining ourselves in this new world."
Roslansky has been at LinkedIn for sixteen years, the last five of which have been as CEO. He joked that he "hadn’t even added an ‘Open to Work’ badge" on his profile when sharing the news on LinkedIn.
Roslansky will continue to report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella regarding LinkedIn. He will report to Microsoft Executive Vice President for Experiences and Devices Rajesh Jha in relation to the new role over Office.
Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion. LinkedIn runs largely independently from Microsoft.
"A big part of this deal is accelerating LinkedIn’s growth. To that end, LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand and independence, as well as their culture which is very much aligned with ours," said Nadella shortly after Microsoft acquired LinkedIn.
That independence was emphasized by Roslansky (emphasis added):
"While I continue to be the CEO of LinkedIn, an independent subsidiary of Microsoft, I’ll also be stepping into a broader role, leading Microsoft Office and M365 Copilot."
Roslansky also shared his excitement to "lead two of the most impactful professional products in history."
