Bill Gates steps down from Board of Directors at Microsoft

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has announced that he will step down from the Microsoft Board of Directors. However, he has confirmed that he will continue to be the technology advisor to Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella. In addition to giving up his role on the board of Microsoft, he will also give up his seat of the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by fellow billionaire Warren Buffett.

“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,” Bill Gate wrote in a statement on his LinkedIn account.

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The move comes as the Microsoft founder has stated that he wanted to dedicate more time to his various philanthropic ventures, including education, global health and development, and climate change.

“I am looking forward to this next phase as an opportunity to maintain the friendships and partnerships that have meant the most to me, continue to contribute to two companies of which I am incredibly proud, and effectively prioritize my commitment to addressing some of the world’s toughest challenges,” his statement concluded.

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“It’s been a tremendous honour and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Microsoft's official announcement. He added, " I am grateful for Bill’s friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to realize our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more."

Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen, who died in 2018. He was the CEO of Microsoft until 2000, after which he gradually scaled back his involvement with the company.

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(Image credit: AP)