Bill Gates left Microsoft’s board on March 13, 2020, but did not leave the company entirely: Microsoft said he would continue advising CEO Satya Nadella and other leaders. The company attributed his decision to a desire to spend more time on philanthropy.
What changed when Gates resigned?
Microsoft announced that Gates’s board resignation was effective March 13, 2020. The company said its board would have 12 members after his departure; that was the board count at the time, not a current figure. Gates remained a Technology Advisor to Nadella and other Microsoft leaders, according to the company’s announcement.
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Microsoft said Gates wanted to devote more time to philanthropic priorities, including global health, development, education and climate change. That is the company’s stated explanation; the available sources do not independently establish every factor in his decision.
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How did Gates’s Microsoft role change over time?
- June 27, 2008: Microsoft said Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role to focus more on his foundation work.
- February 4, 2014: His tenure as Microsoft board chair ended, according to the company.
- March 13, 2020: He resigned from the board and continued as a Technology Advisor.
The dates distinguish three different changes: leaving daily operations, ending his board chair tenure, and later leaving the board itself. Microsoft’s 2020 statement also quotes Nadella saying, “It’s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years.”
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