Microsoft names Satya Nadella as new CEO
Third CEO has "the unanimous support of our Board"
Microsoft has fulfilled the predictions of many speculators by naming Satya Nadella as its third CEO this afternoon.
Nadella has been with the company for 22 years and brings extensive knowledge of engineering and strategy development to the role.
"During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella," said Microsoft founder Bill Gates. "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."
"Having worked with him for more than 20 years, I know that Satya is the right leader at the right time for Microsoft," added outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer. "I've had the distinct privilege of working with the most talented employees and senior leadership team in the industry, and I know their passion and hunger for greatness will only grow stronger under Satya's leadership."
"We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization"
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
The 46 year old Nadella penned an open letter to Microsoft employees, outlining his vision for the company - an ethos which he says revolves around using technology to make the world a better place to live in for everybody.
"Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work," Nadella writes. "I came here because I believed Microsoft was the best company in the world. I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place. I knew there was no better company to join if I wanted to make a difference. This is the very same inspiration that continues to drive me today.
"It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours. Steve and Bill have taken it from an idea to one of the greatest and most universally admired companies in the world. I've been fortunate to work closely with both Bill and Steve in my different roles at Microsoft, and as I step in as CEO, I've asked Bill to devote additional time to the company, focused on technology and products. I'm also looking forward to working with John Thompson as our new Chairman of the Board."
"As we look forward, we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world. The opportunity ahead will require us to reimagine a lot of what we have done in the past for a mobile and cloud-first world, and do new things.
"We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization. We are the only company with history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity."