Last week brought reports that Microsoft was considering Satya Nadella as the new CEO, and that Bill Gates may step down as Chairman. Those reports turned out to be true, but Bill Gates role in the company he founded will actually get bigger. Gates will focus less on administration and more in product development. He’s currently going to work at Microsoft for at least one day per week.
“The more time Bill spends on product development, the better,” said Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm. “He and Steve Jobs seem very different on the outside, but at their core they were very similar. They both see things that others don’t see, and they’re both very demanding.”
Sources also claim that Gates actually “championed” Nadella during the CEO search, indicating that the two will be able to collaborate well. Bloomberg points out that Gates was instrumental in building innovative products while Nadella is well-versed in Microsoft’s tools for businesses.
John Thompson, who led the CEO search committee, will take Gates’ place as chairman of the board while Gate will become the technology advisor. This would make it easier on Nadella instead of bringing in someone from the outside who may not be quite as compatible with the CEO. Nadella has served at Microsoft for 22 years.
Stay tuned for more news and analysis on today's Microsoft leadership changes.
