GATES STEPS DOWN FROM BOARD OF MICROSOFT
WASHINGTON: Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates, who made the company one of the world’s most valuable technology firms, stepped down from the board on Friday to focus on philanthropic works related to global health, education and climate change. Gates quit his full-time executive role at Microsoft in 2008.
SANFRANCISCO: Microsoft on Friday announced that co-founder Bill Gates has left its board of directors to devote more time to philanthropy.
The 64-year-old stopped being involved in day-to-day operations at the firm more than a decade ago, turning his attention to the foundation he launched with his wife, Melinda.
Gates served as chairman of Microsoft’s board of directors until early in 2014 and has now stepped away entirely, according to the Redmond-based technology giant.
“Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratising force of software and a passion to solve society’s most pressing challenges; and Microsoft and the world are better for it.” Microsoft chief executive and company veteran Satya Nadella said in a release.
Microsoft would continue to benefit from Gates’ “technical passion and advice” in his continuing role as a technical advisor, Nadella added.
Gates left his CEO position in 2000, handing the company reins to Steve Ballmer to devote more time to his charitable foundation.
He gave up the role of chairman at the same time Nadella became Microsoft’s third CEO in 2014.
Regularly listed among the world’s richest people, William H Gates was a geeky-looking young man when he and Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft in 1975.
He began programming computers as a 13-year-old student, and fell in love with the machines.