"Bill Gates" - "Bill Gates - The Titan of Wealth and Technology"

William Henry Gates III, commonly known as Bill Gates, is an American businessman, programmer, and philanthropist. In 1975, he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen, building his fortune independently and holding the largest individual stake in the company, estimated at nine percent of the outstanding shares.

Gates was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He and Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975, where it grew to become the world"s largest personal computer software company. Gates led the company as Chairman and CEO until he stepped down as CEO in January 2000, succeeded by Steve Ballmer. However, he remained Chairman and became the Chief Software Architect. In the late 1990s, Gates faced criticism for his business tactics, which were considered anti-competitive, a view supported by several court rulings. In June 2008, Gates transitioned to a part-time role at Microsoft and a full-time role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a private charitable foundation he founded with his then-wife, Melinda Gates, in 2000. He stepped down as Chairman of Microsoft in February 2014, assuming a new role as a technical advisor to support the newly appointed CEO, Satya Nadella. Gates left his positions on the boards of Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway in March 2020 to focus on his philanthropic efforts, including climate change, global health, development, and education.