At a hastily scheduled news conference Thursday, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates announced that in two years he would step down from his full time jobs at the software giant to reorder his personal priorities and focus more on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Mr. Gates will continue to work part time at Microsoft after July 2008, however, as both Chairman and Senior Technical Advisor.
"I want to spend more time on Foundation efforts in the future," Gates said Thursday. "I will shift my priorities and yet maintain strong ties with Microsoft. It's a two year transition plan, during which I will shift my day-to-day responsibilities ... to a great team of people. We can make this transition without missing a beat."
Why announce this change over two years before it happens? Gates said that announcing his departure now was the right thing to do so that Microsoft would have time to make the transition with full transparency to its customers and partners.
A few senior Microsoft executives are being repositioned in response to Gates' eventual departure. Ray Ozzie will become Microsoft's Chief Software Architect, effective immediately. And Craig Mundie will become the new chief research and strategy officer, also effective immediately.
"I want to spend more time on Foundation efforts in the future," Gates said Thursday. "I will shift my priorities and yet maintain strong ties with Microsoft. It's a two year transition plan, during which I will shift my day-to-day responsibilities ... to a great team of people. We can make this transition without missing a beat."
Why announce this change over two years before it happens? Gates said that announcing his departure now was the right thing to do so that Microsoft would have time to make the transition with full transparency to its customers and partners.
A few senior Microsoft executives are being repositioned in response to Gates' eventual departure. Ray Ozzie will become Microsoft's Chief Software Architect, effective immediately. And Craig Mundie will become the new chief research and strategy officer, also effective immediately.