Microsoft names Satya Nadella as new CEO

Microsoft has named Satya Nadella as its new chief executive officer.

Mr Nadella will replace Steve Ballmer effective immediately after a five-month search, Microsoft said in a statement today.

Bill Gates, the company's first CEO, will step aside as chairman and devote more time to product development, while remaining on the board and running his philanthropic foundation.

John Thompson, the board member who led the CEO search, becomes chairman.

The new CEO, who was born in India and joined Microsoft in 1992, takes over at a critical juncture.

Consumers and businesses are shunning PCs in favor of handheld devices made by rivals, sapping demand for Microsoft’s flagship products.

Besides playing catchup to the likes of Apple and Google, Mr Nadella will be tasked with completing strategy changes, begun by Mr Ballmer last year.

That includes integrating the $7.2 billion integration of Nokia Oyj's handset unit and turning Microsoft into a provider of services and hardware.

“He’s really the complete package - he has incredible intellect but he also combines that with a deep curiosity and willingness to learn,” said Doug Burgum, who sold business- software developer Great Plains to Microsoft and oversaw Mr Nadella while at the Redmond, Washington-based company.

Bloomberg