Microsoft announced that co-founder and tech advisor Bill Gates is stepped down from the company’s board of directors to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities, including global health in the age of COVID-19, as well as development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change.

This announcement comes via It Web.

Gates will, however, still serve as Microsoft’s technology advisor to CEO, Satya Nadella and other company leaders.





Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role at Microsoft to spend more time on his work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2008. Gates still served as Microsoft’s chairman of the board until 4 February 2014.

“It’s been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years,” says Nadella.

“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. The board has benefited from Bill’s leadership and vision. And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill’s ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward,” he continues.

“I am grateful for Bill’s friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realise our mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.”

With the departure of Gates, Microsoft’s board of directors will consist of 12 members. Gates was the last of Microsoft’s founders serving the company, as his lifelong friend and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen resigned in 2000.

Edited by Luis Monzon

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