After a six-months-long search, Microsoft has handed responsibility for its future to Satya Nadella, who replaces Steve Ballmer and becomes only the third chief executive in the company's nearly four-decade-long history.
Founder Bill Gates, meanwhile, will move over as a "technology advisor," suggesting a more active role in the development of Microsoft product. John Thompson will take over as chairman.
"Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision, and the ability to bring people together," Gates said in a prepared statement. "His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth."
In choosing Nadella, the executive vice president of Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise group, Microsoft has turned to a highly accomplished executive in the mold of its co-founder Gates, who reportedly held out for a candidate with sufficient technical gravitas to inspire -- and if need be, change -- Microsoft's engineer-driven corporate culture. It also confounded the early handicapping in the CEO vetting process that the board needed to land an outside candidate to shake things up.
At the still relatively young age of 46, Nadella oversaw one of Microsoft's fastest-growing divisions -- the Cloud and Enterprise Group -- which accounted for $20.3 billion in revenue and $8.2 billion in operating income during the company's last fiscal year.
Founder Bill Gates, meanwhile, will move over as a "technology advisor," suggesting a more active role in the development of Microsoft product. John Thompson will take over as chairman.
"Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision, and the ability to bring people together," Gates said in a prepared statement. "His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth."
In choosing Nadella, the executive vice president of Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise group, Microsoft has turned to a highly accomplished executive in the mold of its co-founder Gates, who reportedly held out for a candidate with sufficient technical gravitas to inspire -- and if need be, change -- Microsoft's engineer-driven corporate culture. It also confounded the early handicapping in the CEO vetting process that the board needed to land an outside candidate to shake things up.
At the still relatively young age of 46, Nadella oversaw one of Microsoft's fastest-growing divisions -- the Cloud and Enterprise Group -- which accounted for $20.3 billion in revenue and $8.2 billion in operating income during the company's last fiscal year.
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