Bill Gates is stepping down from Microsoft's board

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Bill Gates has decided to step down from Microsoft's board, 12 years after leaving the company's day-to-day operations. Announced on LinkedIn, the Microsoft co-founder says he wants to dedicate more time to "philanthropic priorities."

Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and, despite his change in focus, he'll continue to be involved with the company in some capacity.

"[S]tepping down from the board in no way means stepping away from the company," he says. "Microsoft will always be an important part of my life’s work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya [Nadella] and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the company’s ambitious goals. I feel more optimistic than ever about the progress the company is making and how it can continue to benefit the world."

Gates is also stepping down from the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company set up by Warren Buffett. His priorities now include global health and development, education and his "increasing engagement in tackling climate change."

Since becoming less hands-on at Microsoft, Gates has invested more of his time into charitable endeavours, which includes the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He's still the second wealthiest person in the world, however, so he'll really need to up his game.

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