Satya Nadella appointed to Microsoft CEO role
Satya Nadella, executive vice-president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group, has been announced as the next CEO of Microsoft, effective immediately.
Taking over from Steve Ballmer, who announced plans to step down last year, the announcement follows months of speculation.
“Microsoft is one of those rare companies to have truly revolutionised the world through technology, and I couldn’t be more honored to have been chosen to lead the company,” Nadella 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.”
Ballmer, who announced plans in August 2013 to step down as soon as a successor was found, described Satya as "the right leader at the right time for Microsoft.”
Microsoft also announced that Bill Gates, previously chairman of the board of directors, will assume a new role on the board as founder and technology advisor, and will devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction.
“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s founder and member of the board of directors, of the appointment.
“Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. 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.”
Nadella's appointment was predicted last week by The Drum's columnist Mark Leiser in an opinion piece on the subject.