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Updated June 17th, 2021 at 10:23 IST

Microsoft names Satya Nadella as chairman, John Thompson made lead independent director

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been announced as Chairman of the company amid reports of investigation that is going on against Bill Gates for alleged affair.

Reported by: Bhavyata Kagrana
Satya Nadella, Microsoft
Image: AP | Image:self
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Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satya Nadella has been positioned as chairman of the company as announced on Wednesday. The former chairman John Thompson has been placed as a lead independent director and declared a quarterly dividend of 56 cents per share payable Sept 9. The development comes amid reports of a probe getting conducted into Microsoft Chief Gates' involvement with an employee almost 20 years ago after it was told in 2019 that he had tried to start a romantic relationship with the person. 

How Satya Nadella hailed Microsoft

After becoming CEO, Nadella has been credited with a grand reinvention of Microsoft, exemplified by its market value exceeding $1 trillion, one of just a handful in history to hit that mark. When Nadella first took over, its market value was around $300 billion. With Nadella's mindset of 'growth', the company has shifted from a has-been to a cloud powerhouse. 

Under Satya Nadella, Microsoft embraced open-source, partnered with competitors, and scaled back first-party mobile ambitions. Nadella is also known for changing Microsoft's Windows for smartphones approach and bringing greater capabilities to mobile operating systems controlled by Apple and Google. He shaped the company with open-source software projects, and the company regularly makes its own software available under open-source licenses.

Nadella took Microsoft from being just another provider of public cloud resources to a real challenger to market leader Amazon Web Services. He took company's Microsoft’s cloud services to a next level ensuring high usage of it resulting in investor's enhanced interest. He also comfortably controlled the capital spending, making it possible for the company to open many data centers around the world. As a CEO, Nadella also protected the company from criticism.

Indian-American business executive, Nadella was named as Microsoft CEO, succeeding Steve Ballmer, and had become only the third leader in the company’s 39-year history. According to Microsoft, Nadella ushered the company into a new era of openness and innovation, growing Microsoft’s cloud computing business, promoting cross-platform collaboration and overseeing the launch of inventive products. Known for his empathetic management style, Nadella helped transform Microsoft’s culture while bolstering the company’s bottom line. 

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Published June 17th, 2021 at 10:23 IST

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