Bill Gates To Take On Tech Advisor Role Under Satya Nadella

Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder and first chief executive, is to step down as chairman of the board, taking on the role of technology advisor under new chief executive Satya Nadella, according to the company. In his new role, he “will devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction”, Microsoft said in a statement.

Gates faced calls last year from top investors to bow out as chairman over fears that he would yield tremendous influence over Microsoft, and its new chief executive, as the company transitions from a maker of licensed software to a “devices and services” company. During the months-long chief executive search process, candidates reportedly voiced concerns that Gates and Ballmer, both of whom remain as board members, might interfere with their efforts to run the company.

More time

In a brief video welcoming Nadella as chief executive, Gates said he was “thrilled” Nadella had asked him to “step up, substantially increasing the time that I spend at the company”. He went on to describe how much time he will devote to Microsoft and preview what his new duties entail.

“I’ll have over a third of my time available to meet with product groups, and it will be fun to define this next round of products working together,” Gates said. One industry analyst believes that Gates can accomplish this best by playing the strong, silent type while remaining supportive to Nadella.

“Bill Gates will play a critical though invisible role in Microsoft’s future,” Ted Schadler, Forrester vice president and principal analyst, wrote in a blog post. “By leaving the board of directors, he won’t be making strategic decisions as chairman. But he will be a vital force behind the scenes.”

Schadler warns that a more conspicuous presence could undermine not only Nadella, but Microsoft’s efforts to conquer the cloud and prosper in a post-PC world. “If Bill Gates doesn’t play this run-silent, run-deep role, then all bets are off,” he said.

Living legend

“If he and Mr. Ballmer are visible, even if their intentions are well-meaning, the new chief executive would be undermined, second-guessed and passively blocked from accomplishing the critical business model pivot that lies ahead,” added Schadler.

Similarly, Bill Whyman, an ISI Group analyst, told The New York Times that there are pros and cons to bringing Gates into the fold. “It is a dance because on the one hand, Gates is a huge asset.”

Gates’ status as a living legend, as far as the IT industry is concerned, can eclipse other concerns, Whyman said. “On the other hand, he casts a very big shadow, as any founder would. He’s not just a company founder – he created the PC revolution.”

Do you know all about Microsoft Windows Phone? Take our quiz.

Originally published on eWeek.