Describing her as the company’s “first and unanimous choice”, Microsoft Corp named 22-year company veteran Satya Nadella as its next chief executive officer on Tuesday, ending a five-month search following the announcement of Steve Ballmer’s retirement. Additionally, Bill Gates is said to be stepping down as chairman to act as his technology advisor.
Previously, Nadella had spearheaded the creation of Microsoft’s Internet Services division to push the company into the recent “cloud computing” trend of offering services entirely over the internet. With mobile computing becoming more popular, it appears Microsoft felt that Satya’s prior experience made him the perfect candidate for pushing the company into being prepared for the upcoming shift in the way we use computers.
Satya’s got the right background to lead the company during this era … There’s a challenge in mobile computing. There’s an opportunity in the cloud.
– Bill Gates
The 46-year old Indian marks only the third change of CEO in the company’s 39 year history, having first had Bill Gates as CEO until 2000; then Steve Ballmer until his retirement last year.
Though Bill Gates reduced his role in the company in 2008 to focus on philanthropic work through his charity, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sataya is supposed to have asked Bill to “step up” and involve himself in Microsoft more, by working with him in devising the next generation of products from Microsoft. Gates has pledged to have “over a third of my time available to meet with product groups”; though he states that the charity remains his main job. Sataya also stated in a video interview he would focus on “ruthlessly” removing any obstacles to innovation at the company.
Investor confidence in the new CEO appears high, with shares of Microsoft rising 0.2 percent at $36.54 at market close today; and though most agree on him being a safe pair of hands to drive the company forward, only time will tell if the new products and Microsoft’s choice of direction in his hands will once again make the company popular again, both with customers who were disillusioned with Windows 8 and the Surface tablets; and impatient shareholders who will be eagerly awaiting the company’s turn around and the release of the “next big thing”.
