Microsoft Appoints New Chairman and CEO of Greater China Region

Yang Hou, former SVP of Sales and Business Development at Qualcomm, will be taking over as chairman and CEO of Microsoft’s Greater China Region. The company announced Monday that Hou will be taking over for Alain Crozier, who has served in the role since 2016. Crozier will continue to lead the team until July 1.

In his new role at Microsoft, Hou will oversee strategy, as well as sales and operations for the company in the Greater China region.

Hou spent eight years at Qualcomm where he worked in business and sales development in both the U.S. and China. He most recently served as SVP of Semiconductor Business, Qualcomm’s largest revenue generator in China. During his tenure at the company, Qualcomm more than tripled in revenue and Hou collaborated with leading Chinese corporations across industries to forge partnerships and develop new wireless technologies.

Prior to working at Qualcomm, Hou also worked as an Engagement Manager at the consulting firm McKinsey.

Crozier has been with Microsoft for 27 years. He’s held a host of international leadership positions in the company, such as President of Microsoft France and CVP and CEO of the Sales and Marketing Group in the U.S. As chairman and CEO of the Greater China region, Crozier worked to develop high-growth cloud startups and doubled Microsoft’s cloud capacity in China twice.

Crozier’s next role has not been made public yet, but the company notes that it will be announced in the near future.