Microsoft AI Names Andréa Mallard CMO as It Sharpens Its Global AI Push

Microsoft AI, the technology company’s artificial intelligence research and product arm, has appointed Andréa Mallard as its chief marketing officer, adding a seasoned brand leader as it accelerates its push to shape how artificial intelligence is developed and presented to the public.

Mallard, who departed Pinterest in January after seven years, confirmed the move in a post on LinkedIn, saying she had begun the role earlier this month. Calling artificial intelligence “the most consequential technological shift of my lifetime,” she said its impact on future generations underscored the need for responsible leadership and public trust.

She joins Microsoft AI, a division established in 2024 and led by Mustafa Suleyman, the co-founder of DeepMind, who serves as chief executive. The unit houses Microsoft’s core consumer-facing AI products, including Copilot, the company’s large language model assistant, as well as Bing, Edge and GroupMe, which have been increasingly infused with generative AI features.

Mallard’s appointment comes as Microsoft intensifies its investment in artificial intelligence, committing billions of dollars to OpenAI and integrating its models across Microsoft’s software and cloud platforms, including Azure. Late last year, Microsoft AI rolled out new branding and a redesigned website aimed at clarifying its product portfolio and ambitions as competition in AI heats up.

The hire also reflects a broader scramble among AI and technology companies to secure senior marketing leadership capable of translating complex technologies into widely trusted consumer brands. Recently, Nvidia named Alison Wagonfeld, a longtime Google executive, as its first chief marketing officer.

At Pinterest, Mallard served as global chief marketing officer, later expanding her role to oversee external communications. She built the company’s global marketing organization and helped guide the brand through its 2019 initial public offering and the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following Mallard’s departure, Pinterest named Claudine Cheever as its new chief marketing officer. Cheever previously served as vice president of global brand and marketing at Amazon, where she spent nearly a decade.