After months of interviews, Microsoft announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Satya Nadella as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors. He will take on the new role starting immediately.
“Microsoft is one of those rare companies to have truly revolutionized the world through technology, and I couldn't be more honored to have been chosen to lead the company,” said Mr. Nadella. “The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly.”
The former Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise Group, Nadella has worked with the company since 1992. He has degrees in electronics, computer science, and business administration, and he’s used these skills to help the company not only move to the cloud, but to also develop one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world, supporting everything from Bing to Office to Xbox Live, among others.
“Having worked with him for more than 20 years, I know that Satya is the right leader at the right time for Microsoft,” said Steve Ballmer, who announced last year that he would retire from the position of CEO once a successor was named. “I’ve had the distinct privilege of working with the most talented employees and senior leadership team in the industry, and I know their passion and hunger for greatness will only grow stronger under Satya’s leadership.”
“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s Founder and Member of the Board of Directors. “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.”
Speaking of Gates, it was announced that he will be relinquishing his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors and taking on a new role on the Board as Founder and Technology Advisor. It is expected he will spend more time with the company than in recent years’ past, and he will be actively working with Nadella to shape the company’s technology and product direction.
John Thompson, the company’s lead independent director will take on Gates’s former position as Chairman, and hold onto his current title as well.
“Satya is clearly the best person to lead Microsoft, and he has the unanimous support of our Board,” Thompson said. “The Board took the thoughtful approach that our shareholders, customers, partners and employees expected and deserved.”
Story via Microsoft.com
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