Who was the CEO of Microsoft before Satya Nadella?

Steve Ballmer was Microsoft’s CEO before Satya Nadella. Ballmer led Microsoft from 2000 until Nadella succeeded him in February 2014.

Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as one of the company’s earliest employees and became a close business partner of co-founder Bill Gates. He rose through sales and management roles, became president in 1998, and was formally named CEO in January 2000.

During Ballmer’s tenure, Microsoft expanded beyond its traditional Windows and Office businesses. The company introduced the Xbox, developed the .NET platform, launched the Surface tablet, and purchased Nokia’s mobile-phone business. Ballmer also managed Microsoft during its U.S. antitrust litigation.

Bill Gates was Microsoft’s CEO before Ballmer, but Gates did not immediately precede Nadella. That sequence was Gates, Ballmer, then Nadella. Nadella was announced as Microsoft’s next CEO on February 4, 2014, after Ballmer announced his retirement.