Joe Belfiore
Joe Belfiore

Microsoft vice president Joe Belfiore took to Facebook on Tuesday night to announce an extended leave from the company where he has worked for 25 years.

But fear not, he says, he’ll be back in his old job at Microsoft after sailing around the world for about six months.

The trip comes after what has certainly been a long year for Belfiore, who oversees the Windows experience on phones, PCs and tablets. Microsoft already got Windows 10 for tablets and PCs out the door, and a version of the operating system for smartphones is expected to debut in November.

That just so happens to be when Belfiore is planning to get out of town.

First, he’ll be visiting family and touring the Northeastern United States. Then, in January, he says he’ll be boarding a ship as part of Semester at Sea study abroad program.

“We’ve coveted the opportunity to spend a lot of time with each other and our kids—and we’re taking advantage of it while we can!” Belfiore wrote on Facebook.

He says he’ll be back in town next summer, and plans to pick up right where he left off at Microsoft.

“I’m proud to have spent the last 25 years working for a thoughtful and considerate company here at Microsoft,” Belfiore wrote. “It’s a company and community whose values align with mine and whose management has been completely supportive of me and my family in pursuing this idea.”

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.