After 26 years at Microsoft, Nick Parker, a seasoned veteran in the tech industry, is set to embark on a new journey as Nvidia’s new sales chief, marking a significant talent transfer between two major players in the AI space.

Effective August 24, Parker will assume the role of executive vice president of worldwide field operations at Nvidia, taking over from Jay Puri, who is retiring after 21 years of leading Nvidia’s global sales division.

In a LinkedIn post announcing his move, Parker expressed his excitement about the opportunity to work closely with Nvidia and further strengthen the partnership between the two tech giants.

According to regulatory filings, Parker’s compensation package at Nvidia includes a base salary of $1 million, a $5 million signing bonus, and equity grants amounting to $40 million. The majority of the equity, $35 million in restricted stock units, will vest over a period of approximately four years, with an additional $5 million in shares tied to Nvidia outperforming the S&P 500 over three years.

In his new role, Parker will be responsible for overseeing global sales and customer relationships at the forefront of the AI industry, reporting directly to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. This pivotal position involves managing the sales operation that distributes Nvidia’s cutting-edge chips to leading companies worldwide.

Parker’s illustrious career at Microsoft saw him ascend through various sales roles, culminating in his most recent position as executive vice president and chief business officer of Microsoft Worldwide Sales & Solutions. His expertise and leadership qualities make him well-suited to take on the challenges of his new role at Nvidia.

Meanwhile, Jay Puri, credited with playing a key role in Nvidia’s transformation into a powerhouse in the AI infrastructure realm, leaves behind a legacy that Parker will now carry forward as he assumes the reins of the enterprise sales division.

Microsoft, on the other hand, recently announced the launch of the Microsoft Frontier Company, a $2.5 billion initiative aimed at embedding AI engineers within customer organizations. The initiative will be spearheaded by Rodrigo Kede Lima, a seasoned leader in Microsoft’s sales and enterprise division.