Innovation
Meet Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella (video)
Satya Nadella, former executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise group, has been named CEO. Here's his first "company" interview.
He loves to learn. He buys more books than he can finish and signs up for more online classes than he can take. Meet Satya Nadella, a 22-year veteran at Microsoft and the company's new CEO.
Nadella was named Microsoft's third CEO in an announcement this morning. Nadella, formerly the executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise group, will succeed Steve Ballmer, who announced his retirement in August, as CEO.
Bill Gates, previously chairman of the board of directors, will assume a new role as technology advisor, a position that will support Nadella as he tweaks the company's technology and product direction.
Nadella's first order of business? Remove any and all obstacles that allow the company to innovate; and then focus that innovation on things Microsoft can uniquely do, Nadella says in the video interview below. In his first memo to employees, Nadella says innovation should be centered on the company's core value of "empowering users and organizations to do more.
Nadella also notes in the interview and in his memo, this is a software-powered world; and one that will include a growing network of connected devices.
What does this announcement mean exactly for Microsoft? Gates' new role suggests Nadella will lean on the founder for direction and insight.
One of Nadella's biggest challenges will be to boost the company's presence in consumer markets. In his previous position, Nadella was primarily focus on corporate customers.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com