Seattle - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates was set Friday for
his last day of full-time work at Microsoft - the company he founded
33 years ago on a hunch that personal computers would become an
integral part of everyday life.
The world's largest software company said that it was not planning
any public events to observe the transition, though the change would
be marked by internal events.
Gates, 52, will continue to hold the title of non-executive
chairman and work about one day a week at Microsoft. He intends to
devote the rest of his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
the wealthiest charity in the world, which is aimed at improving
healthcare around the world and reducing extreme poverty.
Founded with the vast fortune he made as Microsoft prospered, the
foundation has an endowment of some 38.7 billion dollars with
billions more expected to roll in as Gates transfers his massive
personal wealth. Legendary investor Warren Buffet, currently the
world's richest man, has also pledged to transfer the vast majority
of his wealth to the foundation.
Gates handed over his role as Microsoft chief executive to his
long-time partner Steve Ballmer in 2000, when Gates became the
company's chief software architect.
Under a carefully planned succession programme, Gate's duties will
be taken over by two top Microsoft executives. Ray Ozzie will be in
charge of day-to-day management issues, while Craig Mundie will be in
charge of long-term planning.
The company, whose Windows operating system powers some 90 per
cent of the world's personal computers, has a market capitalization
of about 260 billion dollars and employs more than 78,000 people in
103 countries. But even as its cash cow products of Windows and the
Office productivity suite look set to continue their stellar
earnings, Microsoft faces tough competition as Google's online
dominance threatens to cut into Microsoft's core businesses.
Despite the company's failed attempt to buy Yahoo as an antidote
to Google, most analysts believe that Microsoft will continue to
thrive even without Gates at the helm.
'I've seen (Microsoft) bat away one mortal threat after another -
and I see no reason to believe that Google's turn will not come,
too,' said Rob Helm of research company Directions. 'Bill has been
there so long he has lots of 'Baby Bills' that represent the same
culture: very smart, very aggressive and focused on meeting
competition head on.'
USA
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