Which company owns LinkedIn and operates the Azure cloud platform?

Microsoft owns LinkedIn and operates the Azure cloud platform.

Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016 in a transaction announced at approximately $26.2 billion. LinkedIn continued operating as a professional-networking service, while Microsoft gained a large business-focused platform containing employment, recruiting, publishing, and advertising products.

Azure is Microsoft's cloud-computing platform. It offers infrastructure, databases, analytics, artificial intelligence, developer tools, and other services delivered through data centers around the world. Azure helped shift Microsoft's business beyond traditional packaged software.

LinkedIn and Azure are often mistaken for companies that Microsoft merely partners with, but both are part of Microsoft's corporate portfolio. LinkedIn remains a distinct brand, while Azure is a Microsoft product and business platform rather than a separate public company.