Co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates, is leaving the company’s board of directors. Gates is also stepping down from his position on the board of Berkshire Hathaway. Gates was CEO of Microsoft until 2008 when he stepped down from the position in order to spend more time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
In a press release announcing the news, Gates cited a similar desire to “dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities.” Gates will still serve as a “technology advisor” to current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, a role he began in 2014 at Nadella’s request when he stepped down from serving as chairman of Microsoft’s board.
According to Gates on LinkedIn, “I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve – Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway – to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change. The leadership at the Berkshire companies and Microsoft has never been stronger, so the time is right to take this step.”
“With respect to Microsoft, stepping down from the board in no way means stepping away from the company,” Gates said. “Microsoft will always be an important part of my life’s work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company’s ambitious goals. I feel more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world.”
In 1975, Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen, who died in 2018. He remained CEO until 2000 and was director of the board at Microsoft until 2014. According to FactSet, Gates is one of Microsoft’s top shareholders, owning 1.36% of shares.
