• Creators: The Secret Story of How Bill Gates Got Rich

Bill Gates announced on Friday that he is leaving his position on the Microsoft board of directors to focus even more on his philanthropic work at the helm of the organization that bears his name and that of his wife, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition, the 64-year-old millionaire has announced that he is leaving his position on the board of directors of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate of companies led by his friend Warren Buffett.

"I have made the decision to leave my seat on both boards - Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway - to spend more time on my philanthropic priorities, including global health and development, education, and my growing involvement in fighting climate change," Gates said via from your LinkedIn account. "The leadership at the helm of Berkshire and Microsoft has never been stronger, so the time is right to take this step."

Gates, who founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen, clarified that his decision does not mean "at all" his final departure from the company. "Microsoft will always be an important part of my working life and I will continue to connect with Satya (Nadella, the company's CEO) and technical leaders to help shape the vision and achieve the company's ambitious goals."

Gates will now serve as an advisor to Nadella, at the helm of the company since 2014. Under his leadership, the company has become the most valuable corporation in the world by market capitalization, expanding its product offering. It is currently the second, slightly behind Apple after Friday's close.

Of that huge pie, Gates controls 1.36% of the shares, according to FactSet data, with a fortune of $ 96.5 billion. He is the second richest person in the world behind Jezz Bezos, founder of Amazon, according to the Forbes list.

Gates' approach now goes through having an impact on developing countries. The Seattle businessman is the protagonist of a three-part documentary that was released on Netflix last September. Inside Bill's Brain realizes, among other things, his project to end the malaria epidemic that still causes thousands of deaths every year around the world.

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