Microsoft is a multinational technology company founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. In this article, we’ll see a list of Microsoft CEO as of now.
The company is best known for its Windows operating system, the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software, and the Internet Explorer and Edge web browsers.
Microsoft also produces hardware products such as the Surface line of tablets and the Xbox gaming console. In recent years, the company has expanded into areas such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and cloud computing.
Microsoft is one of the largest and most successful technology companies in the world, with a market capitalization of over $2 trillion and over 166,000 employees globally.
Check out the List of Microsoft CEO below.
1. Bill Gates (1975–2000)
Bill Gates is a business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975 with Paul Allen and helped make it the world’s largest personal-computer software company.
Gates was the company’s chairman and CEO until 2000, and later served as its chief software architect. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution and the modern era.
In addition to his work at Microsoft, Gates is known for his philanthropic efforts. He and his wife, Melinda, founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, which aims to improve global health and reduce extreme poverty.
The foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the world, with an endowment of over $50 billion.
Gates stepped down from daily operations at Microsoft in 2008 to focus on his philanthropic work. He has since become a vocal advocate for issues such as global health and education and has written several books on these topics.
Bill Gates has a net worth of $146.8 billion and is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people. He has also been honored with several awards throughout his career such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
2. Steve Ballmer (2000–2014)
Steve Ballmer is an American businessman and investor who served as the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. He joined the company in 1980 as the company’s 30th employee and its first business manager, and played a key role in the company’s rapid growth and success during the personal computer boom of the 1980s and 1990s.
During his tenure as CEO, Ballmer led Microsoft through a period of significant change in the technology industry, as the company faced increased competition from companies such as Google and Apple.
He also oversaw the development and launch of several major Microsoft products, including the Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems, the Xbox 360 gaming console, and the Bing search engine.
After stepping down as CEO, Ballmer remained a significant shareholder in Microsoft and continued to serve on the company’s board of directors. In 2014, he announced his retirement from the board, and has since focused on his other business and philanthropic endeavors.
Steve Ballmer is also the owner of the LA Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2014, and a founding investor in Twitter. In addition, he has been a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to various causes and organizations, including education and healthcare.
Ballmer has an estimated net worth of $51.4 billion, which makes him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
3. Satya Narayan Nadella (2014-current)
Satya Narayana Nadella is an Indian-American business executive who is currently the CEO of Microsoft. He was appointed as the CEO in 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer.
Prior to becoming CEO, Nadella held various leadership roles at Microsoft, including as the head of the company’s enterprise and cloud computing business.
Nadella is credited with leading a significant shift in Microsoft’s corporate strategy, focusing on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies. He has also been credited with fostering a more collaborative and innovative culture within the company.
Before joining Microsoft, Nadella worked at Sun Microsystems and later at the software firm, Borland. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft has seen significant growth, especially in its cloud computing services, where the company’s Azure platform has become a major player in the market.
In addition, Nadella has also focused on open source technology and has made several acquisitions to expand the company’s offerings in areas such as gaming, LinkedIn and Github.
Nadella has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including being listed among the “100 most powerful people” by Forbes, and the “100 most influential people” by Time magazine.
List of Microsoft CEO
| Bill Gates | (1975–2000) |
| Steve Ballmer | (2000–2014) |
| Satya Narayan Nadella | (2014-current) |
