GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke Steps Down to Pursue AI Startup Aspirations
Dohmke’s departure marks the end of nearly four eventful years as GitHub’s chief executive.
GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke has announced he will step down from his leadership role at the Microsoft-owned platform by the end of 2025 to “become a founder again,” according to his blog post. Dohmke’s departure marks the end of nearly four eventful years as GitHub’s chief executive.
Under his leadership, the platform saw explosive growth and deepened its AI integration, particularly through the GitHub Copilot suite.
After nearly four years as CEO, I’m leaving GitHub to become a startup founder again.
— Thomas Dohmke (@ashtom) August 11, 2025
With more than 1B repos and forks, 150M+ developers, and Copilot continuing to lead the most thriving market in AI with 20M users and counting, GitHub has never been stronger than it is today.…
“With more than 1B repos and forks, and over 150 million developers, GitHub has never been stronger than it is today,” Dohmke shared, highlighting the platform’s expanding global footprint and doubling of AI-driven projects.
Following his exit, GitHub will undergo a structural realignment, with its leadership now reporting directly to Microsoft’s CoreAI division. GitHub’s Chief Product Officer, Mario Rodriguez, and other leadership roles will integrate more closely within Microsoft’s broader AI-focused initiatives.
The news underscores GitHub’s evolving role within Microsoft’s AI ecosystem, especially amid growing competition in AI-powered developer tools.
Dohmke’s shift back to entrepreneurship brings to a close a transformative era for the platform, which has become indispensable to developers worldwide.
