Microsoft Announces New CEO: Satya Nadella
As you know, Satya Nadella became Microsoft’s new CEO on February 4, 2014. I have never met him but people who know him personally will tell you that he is a very smart guy. Well, you don’t become Microsoft’s CEO without being exceptionally smart so that should not be a surprise. Here are some highlights of his background.
- He has a Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He also has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mangalore University.
- Born in Hyderabad, India in 1967 and is 46 years old.
- Married for 22 years and has three kids.
- Joined Microsoft 22 years ago in 1992.
- Worked for Sun Microsystems before joining Microsoft.
- 2013 base salary was $700,000 but with stock bonuses his total compensation came to $7.6 million.
- Loves the game of cricket. He grew up playing cricket and is very passionate about it.
- Very instrumental in Microsoft’s move to cloud computing.
- Held several senior executive level positions at Microsoft before becoming CEO.
- Microsoft’s third CEO after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.
His official bio on Microsoft’s Web site is available here.
In his first email to Microsoft employees he said:
“Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago. Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work. 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.
While we have seen great success, we are hungry to do more. Our industry does not respect tradition — it only respects innovation. This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Make no mistake, we are headed for greater places — as technology evolves and we evolve with and ahead of it. Our job is to ensure that Microsoft thrives in a mobile and cloud-first world.”
You can read the complete text of his first email in the press release on Microsoft News Center here.
