Bill Gates giving up control of Microsoft to focus on his charitable work.
Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said Thursday he will transition out of a day-to-day role at the company he co-founded to spend more time on global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The company announced a two-year transition to ensure that there is a smooth transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities, and said that after July 2008 Gates would continue to serve as the company’s chairman and an adviser on key development projects.
“This was a hard decision for me,” Gates said in a statement. “I’m very lucky to have two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging. As I prepare for this change, I firmly believe the road ahead for Microsoft is as bright as ever.”
Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie will immediately assume the title of chief software architect and begin working with Gates on all technical and product oversight responsibilities, Microsoft said. Similarly, Chief Technical Officer Craig Mundie will immediately take the new title of chief research and strategy officer and will work with Gates on the company’s research and incubation efforts.
Garth Brooks once said of himself that he had made more money than his grandchildren could ever spend. Gates probably made Brooks’ lifetime earnings last Tuesday. If anyone’s in a position to spend the rest of their life doing the thing they’re most passionate about, it’s Gates.
