Steve Ballmer named CEO - Stories (2024)

Steve Ballmer became Microsoft’s second CEO, succeeding Bill Gates, who hired him in 1980 as the company’s first business manager. Soon after, Ballmer helped land a major deal with IBM to provide the operating system for its computers.

He is credited for continuing to grow Microsoft’s enterprise strategy, steadily growing the company’s bottom line, overseeing the launch of the original Xbox and investing in the cloud. Ballmer retired from Microsoft in 2013.

Gates transitioned to a new role as technology advisor and Microsoft board member, serving as chairman until 2014. In recent years he has devoted more time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, created in 1997 to address the biggest health and education issues of our time.

Steve Ballmer named CEO - Stories (2024)

FAQs

Is Steve Ballmer richer than Bill Gates? ›

With a net worth of about $148 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ballmer is now just shy of overtaking his old boss, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who sits at $154 billion. A look back at Ballmer's illustrious career reveals the secrets behind his success, but it wasn't always so glamorous.

What degree does Steve Ballmer have? ›

Ballmer graduated from Harvard University in 1977 with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and economics. After working for two years at consumer products company Procter & Gamble as a product manager, he attended the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

How did Steve Ballmer get so rich? ›

History with Microsoft. Ballmer joined Microsoft on June 11, 1980, and became Microsoft's 30th employee and the first business manager hired by Gates. Ballmer was offered a salary of $50,000 as well as 5–10% of the company. When Microsoft was incorporated in 1981, Ballmer owned 8% of the company.

What happened to Steve Ballmer? ›

Since leaving the tech giant, Ballmer has also shifted his focus to philanthropy. In 2022, he and his wife Connie donated around US$425 million towards an institute at the University of Oregon, which focuses on behavioural and mental health needs of children, per Forbes.

Who is the wealthiest NBA owner? ›

Of America' richest sports owners, 16 attribute more than 50% of their fortunes to sources beyond their teams. Leading the charge as the wealthiest owner, for the ninth consecutive year, is the Los Angeles Clippers' Steve Ballmer, No. 9 on The Forbes 400 with an estimated net worth of $101 billion.

What percentage of Microsoft does Steve Ballmer own? ›

Key Takeaways

Former CEO Steve Ballmer owns a 4% stake in Microsoft, more than its founder Bill Gates, who holds a 1.3% stake.

What degree Bill Gates has? ›

Bill Gates never finished his undergraduate degree — the billionaire dropped out of Harvard University after three semesters to start Microsoft. “What does a college dropout know about graduation?

How old was Steve Ballmer when he started Microsoft? ›

Microsoft. In 1980, Steve Ballmer joined his Harvard classmate, Bill Gates, at Microsoft. Hired as its first business manager, Ballmer was the start-up's 30th employee at age 24.

How much does Steve Ballmer make per year? ›

Steve Ballmer (Entrepeneur - former Ceo of Microsoft, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA - United States) earns a salary of $123400000.00 per year.

Is Steve Ballmer a genius? ›

Ballmer was a math genius, he was also a spreadsheet whiz and knew as much as a CFO did at anytime. His memory was that of a thousand elephants, and could recite forecasts, actuals and numbers for multiple years in one go.

Who is Steve Ballmer to Bill Gates? ›

Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as Bill Gates' assistant, became CEO in 2000, and retired in 2014 with a 4% stake that's worth a fortune today.

Who is the cheapest billionaire? ›

These Are the Cheapest Billionaires in the World Right Now
  • Warren Buffett. According to Bloomberg, Warren Buffett is the 6th richest man in the world. ...
  • Carlos Slim Helú Next, meet Carlos Slim Helú. ...
  • Jim Walton. Step into the world of Jim Walton. ...
  • Azim Premji. ...
  • Charlie Ergen. ...
  • Takeaway.
Sep 27, 2023

Who is richer, Bill Gates or Steve Ballmer? ›

With a net worth of about $148 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ballmer is now just shy of overtaking his old boss, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who sits at $154 billion. A look back at Ballmer's illustrious career reveals the secrets behind his success, but it wasn't always so glamorous.

Does Steve Ballmer own a basketball team? ›

As the Los Angeles Clippers prepare to move into the Intuit Dome next season, team owner Steve Ballmer announced a new corporate structure for his related holdings.

Does Bill Gates still own Microsoft? ›

Bill Gates still owns more than 1% of Microsoft's shares, worth around twenty billion dollars. Gates has a lot of his financial investments held by a family office known as Cascade Investments. He also has substantial real estate holdings and an extensive collection of collectibles.

Who is the richest man than Bill Gates? ›

The top 10 richest people in the world as of May 2, 2024, are:
  • Bernard Arnault.
  • Jeff Bezos.
  • Elon Musk.
  • Mark Zuckerberg.
  • Bill Gates.
  • Larry Page.
  • Sergey Brin.
  • Steve Ballmer.

Who is the richest person in Microsoft? ›

William Henry Gates III, better known as Bill Gates. He is an American businessman and philanthropist and founder of the Co-founder of Microsoft, creator of the MS-DOS and Windows operating systems. He has an estimated net worth of approximately 13,030 crores USD.

How much money is Steve Ballmer worth? ›

Where does Bill Gates rank as the richest person in the world? ›

Who Is Richer than Bill Gates? As of April 2023, Bernard Arnault ranks first as the wealthiest person in the world, followed by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Gates comes in at number four.

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