The storyteller behind Microsoft’s print revival, Steve Clayton, is leaving for Cisco after 28 years

Steve Clayton has emerged as a retro renegade at Microsoft, seeking to show that print books and magazines still matter in the digital age. Now he’s turning the page on his own career. Clayton, most recently Microsoft’s vice president of communications strategy, announced Monday morning that he’s leaving the Redmond company after 28 years to become Cisco’s chief communications officer, starting next month, reporting to CEO Chuck Robbins. “In some ways, it feels like a full-circle moment: my career began with the rise of the internet and the early web — and Cisco was foundational to that story,” he wrote on LinkedIn, noting that AI makes infrastructure and security all the more critical. He leaves behind two passion projects: 8080 Books, a Microsoft publishing imprint focused on thought leadership titles, and Signal, a Microsoft print magazine for business leaders. He said via email that both will continue after his exit. He’s currently in the U.K. wrapping up the third edition of Signal. Clayton joined Microsoft in 1997 as a systems engineer in the U.K., working with commercial customers including BP, Shell, and Unilever. He held a series of technical and strategy roles before moving to Seattle in 2010 to become “chief storyteller,” a position he held for 11 years. That put Microsoft ahead of the curve on a trend now sweeping corporate America: The Wall Street Journal reported last week that “storyteller” job postings on LinkedIn have doubled in the past year. As chief storyteller, Clayton led a team of 40 responsible for building technology demonstrations for CEO Satya Nadella, helping shape Microsoft’s AI communications strategy, running the corporate intranet, and overseeing social media and broader culture-focused campaigns. In 2021, Clayton moved into a senior public affairs leadership role. During that period, he was involved in companywide efforts related to issues including AI policy and the Microsoft–Activision deal, before transitioning to his current communications strategy role in 2023. In his latest position, Clayton has focused on using AI to transform how Microsoft runs its communications operations, reporting to Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw.