William Henry Gates III, more popularly known as Bill Gates, is one of the world’s best-known entrepreneurs of the digital revolution particularly in personal computers. His renown extends beyond his prestige as a business tycoon, investor, and inventor but also into his notable works as a philanthropist. His company, Microsoft, dominates the world the computing while his philanthropic organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has influenced several industries worldwide.
In 1975, Gates dropped out of Harvard University to become co-founder of Microsoft with Paul Allen. Microsoft eventually became the world’s largest personal computer software company, an achievement that Gates played a crucial role in.
While at Microsoft, he held various positions, namely, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Software Architect, a position that he created for himself. He was also the largest individual stockholder until May 2014 although he was still an influential force within the corporation.
In January 2000, he resigned as CEO but remained as Chairman before creating the Chief Software Architect. In June 2006, he announced his plans of transitioning from full-time to part-time work so that he can focus more on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; his duties were gradually transferred to Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie. In February 2014, he became the company’s technology advisor, a role he took on to support CEO Satya Nadella.
Gates is considered as among the world’s richest men, a distinction that he has held since 1987. From 1995 to 2014, he was the richest overall except during the 2007-2008 global financial crisis. His net worth doubled from US$40 billion to over US$82 billion between 2009 and 2014.
His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been cited by several organizations for its notable impact on education, health and technology, among others. His recognitions include the Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged and the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award from The Tech Awards for his philanthropy.
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