45 years after founding his company, Bill Gates is stepping down from its board of directors Microsoft and the Berkshire Hathaway. Although he has not played a daily role in the company since 2008, he is now moving away completely to focus on his charitable endeavors.
Gates announced his decision in a Publication on LinkedIn, saying he wants to "spend more time on his philanthropic priorities," which have to do with global health and its development, education and commitment to addressing climate change.
This will likely include working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which Gates and his wife founded in 2000.
Bill Gates also stated that he would not leave Microsoft and that he implied that he would remain there in a kind of agreement with its current executives:
"Microsoft will always be an important part of my work life and I will continue to be ready with Satya [Nadella, Microsoft CEO] and technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company 's ambitious goals. ”
Nadella Reported in a Microsoft Press Conference:
It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to work with and learn from Bill over the years … The board has benefited from Bill's leadership and vision. And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill's continued technical passion and advice to drive them forward productτα και τις υπηρεσίες μας. Είμαι ευγνώμων για τη φιλία του Bill και ανυπομονούμε να συνεχίσουμε να δουλεύουμε δίπλα του για να πραγματοποιήσουμε την Mission to empower every human being and every organism on the planet to achieve more.
Regarding his position on Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway board, Gates said:
"My participation in the Berkshire council was one of the greatest honors of my career. Warren and I were best friends long ago and will continue to be. . ”
Gates, 64, was chairman of Microsoft until 2014.