Three decades after starting the most influential American technology company, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said yesterday that he plans to step down from day-to-day work at the software giant to focus his energy full time on the $29 billion foundation he started with his wife 12 years ago.
Although the transition will not take place until July 2008, the move signals a new era for the software company that has been closely associated with Gates's geeky persona and provides an opportunity, according to many in the public health community, for Gates to become one of the most important philanthropists in U.S. history.
Gates said he intends to remain chairman of Microsoft "for the rest of my life" but plans to relinquish all daily duties at the company and instead focus his legendary competitive drive on improving global health and access to technology. He and Microsoft chief executive Steven A. Ballmer yesterday laid out a two-year transition plan to begin grooming the next crop of executives to run the Redmond, Wash., firm.
[Excerpt of an article by Sara Kehaulani Goo, The Washington Post]
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