ServiceNow snags Microsoft vet to run legal amid M&A spree

ServiceNow has hired Hossein Nowbar as its chief legal officer and president, the company announced on Monday.

Nowbar spent 28 years at Microsoft, where he was most recently chief legal officer, and oversaw complex M&A deals like the company’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard as well as the dawn of Microsoft’s involvement with AI.

Somewhat unusually for a former employer, Microsoft President Brad Smith had no objection to the move, and in fact heaped praise on Nowbar and congratulated ServiceNow in a statement that accompanied the announcement. “Having worked closely with Hossein for more than 25 years, I can say first-hand that ServiceNow is incredibly fortunate to have him,” Smith enthused.

Nowbar and Smith cowrote a blog in 2023 that announced indemnification for Microsoft Copilot users who may run afoul of copyright laws while using it. Smith and Nowbar said in such a case, Microsoft would pick ...