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Microsoft names Satya Nadella chief executive Microsoft picks Satya Nadella to replace Steve Ballmer as chief executive
(about 2 hours later)
Microsoft has announced Satya Nadella will succeed Steve Ballmer as chief executive, putting an end to months of speculation. Microsoft has appointed the cricket and poetry-loving Satya Nadella as its new chief executive to help take the company into technology’s new era of cloud computing and mobile devices.
Indian-born Nadella, 44, joined the technology giant in 1992 and previously led the Cloud and Enterprise division. He is set to become Microsoft's third chief executive. Although it made its name and fortune by creating products and services for the old world dominated by the personal computer, the appointment of the India-born executive is a sign that Microsoft sees cloud, mobile, web and other markets as the future.
In August, the firm said Ballmer would retire once a successor was named. Bill Gates is also set to step down as chairman of Microsoft to take up a new role as technology adviser. Mr Nadella, 46, has worked at Microsoft for 22 years and his job was running its cloud and enterprise division. He has also excelled at mastering the firm’s products and services in unglamorous back-office corporate technology.
Angela Eager, research director, at Tech Market View said:"Nadella has been with the company for a long time and has worked across so many divisions within the company – that makes him quite a safe choice." “Satya has got the right background to lead the company during this era,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder. “There is a challenge in mobile computing. There is an opportunity in the cloud.”
"What’s interesting is Bill Gates has stepped down as chairman but will remain on the board," she added. "We could see Microsoft stepping back to more of a Gates type era with a technical focus."
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Gates co-founded the business in 1975 and stepped down from the role of CEO in 2000. He has since devoted his time to philanthropic work through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Mr Nadella has asked Gates to be his adviser on technology in the new role, and the new CEO will also have the support of a tech industry veteran, John Thompson, who replaces Gates as Microsoft’s chairman. Gates will stay on Microsoft’s board and ironically will now spend more time in his advisory role. He stopped day-to-day work for the firm in 2008 to focus on philanthropy.
In a statement, Gates praised Nadella's business vision and engineering skills, saying: "During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella. Mr Nadella is only the company’s third CEO, following Steve Ballmer, who stands down immediately, and Gates himself. He faces massive challenges, not least masterminding the company’s integration with Nokia’s mobile phones unit, which it bought last year. He will also have to address any attempts by activist shareholders to force Microsoft to break itself up.
"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." He said: “The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast but, to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly.”
The new boss needs to make sure Microsoft maintains its positions in its traditionally dominant products of Windows, Microsoft Office and related software that run corporate computer systems – but also see new opportunities faster than in the past.
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Nadella said he was honoured to have been chosen to lead the company after months of speculation. Mr Nadella reckons he learned as much about management from playing cricket at school in Hyderabad as anywhere else. “Perhaps more than anything, I think playing cricket... taught me more about working in teams and leadership that has stayed with me throughout my career,” he has said.
"We must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform," he added. "A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly."