India, July 11 -- Asha Sharma, the CEO of Xbox, has been appointed to a new Federal Reserve task force that will study jobs and productivity in the US economy. The announcement was made by Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh as part of a broader review of how the central bank approaches economic policy. The appointment, however, comes at a time when Sharma is facing criticism over major job cuts at Xbox. Days before joining the panel, she announced a restructuring plan that includes roughly 3,200 layoffs.

The timing has invited a wide criticism, questioning the decision to place a corporate leader overseeing layoffs on a task force focused on employment. Even so, the Federal Reserve has moved ahead with the appointment, making Sharma on...