Chris Howarth has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Avanade, effective February 3rd.

Howarth succeeds Rodrigo Caserta, who will step down as CEO after more than 11 years with Avanade to join Microsoft as Corporate Vice President, Small, Medium Enterprises & Channel (SME&C), Americas. Caserta served as Avanade’s CEO since 2024.

“Chris brings deep knowledge of Avanade, strong alignment across Accenture and Microsoft, and a proven record of leadership,” said Manish Sharma, chief strategy and services officer at Accenture and chair of the board of directors at Avanade. “His appointment ensures continuity in our strategy and momentum, while further strengthening Avanade’s central role in the joint venture. We thank Rodrigo for more than a decade of extraordinary impact and look forward to continuing to work closely with him in his new role at Microsoft.”

Howarth has been closely involved with Avanade for more than five years through his leadership within the Accenture–Microsoft ecosystem, helping drive joint innovation, client success, and growth across the partnership. After more than 28 years with Accenture, he will join Avanade as CEO, to lead Avanade through its next phase of growth, building on the company’s strong foundation and strategic priorities. He will retain ownership of the overall Microsoft relationship, recognizing the critical role Avanade plays in driving growth for Accenture and Microsoft across all customer segments.

“I’m honored to join Avanade as CEO, building on the strong foundation Rodrigo and the leadership team have built,” said Chris Howarth. “Rodrigo’s leadership has positioned Avanade for sustained momentum, and his move to Microsoft further strengthens our partnership. I’m excited to work with our people, clients, and partners at this pivotal moment, delivering on the huge potential of AI to drive transformation and accelerate value."

Avanade appoints Chris Howarth as CEO, strengthening alignment across Accenture and Microsoft