Software giant Microsoft is shaking up its leadership team. Steven Sinofsky, who was president of Microsoft’s flagship product Windows, is leaving the company. His departure comes as a surprise, less than one month after the release of Windows 8. 

The exit was apparently a “mutual” decision by Sinofsky and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, though some Microsoft watchers say Sinofsky had become a polarizing figure. A 23-year veteran of the company, Sinofksy won kudos early in his career for rescuing Microsoft from the rocky launch of Windows Vista, replacing it with Windows 7. Now the big question is what Sinofsky’s departure says about sales of Windows 8.