Bill Gates Has Left the Microsoft Board of Directors to Dedicate More Time to Charity

by Kay Lee

Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and former CEO of the company, announced in a recent post on LinkedIn that he is leaving the board of directors of the tech giant. Exactly 34 years ago, young Bill took a seat on the board of directors when Microsoft became a public company. Now, one of the world’s richest men is planning to focus more on his philanthropic projects.

“I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve – Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway – to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change,” said Gates announcing his decision.

He also added, “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.”

This piece of news doesn’t come as a surprise, though, because Gates has been stepping away from the company’s day-to-day operations little by little over time to spend more time on Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It’s the private foundation founded by Bill and his wife Belinda Gates, which is now one of the largest philanthropic ventures in the world.

Back in 200, Gates already left the post of the Microsoft CEO. In 2008, he transitioned into a part-time role in the company but still was a chairman up until 2014 when Satya Nadella took over as the CEO and led Microsoft to prosperity that has never been seen before.

Gates will still continue to serve in a position of a technology adviser to Satya Nadella, the current chief executive officer at Microsoft.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a statement regarding Gates' decision:

It’s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years. Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society’s most pressing challenges. And Microsoft and the world are better for it. The board has benefited from Bill’s leadership and vision. And Microsoft will continue to benefit from Bill’s ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward. 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.