WilliamHenry"Bill"GatesIII(bornOctober28,1955)[2]isanAmericanbusinessmagnate,philanthropist,author,andchairman[3]ofMicrosoft,thesoftwarecompanyhefoundedwithPaulAllen.Heisrankedconsistentlyoneoftheworld'swealthiestpeople[4]andthewealthiestoverallasof2009.[1]DuringhiscareeratMicrosoft,GatesheldthepositionsofCEOandchiefsoftwarearchitect,andremainsthelargestindividualshareholderwithmorethan8percentofthecommonstock.[5]Hehasalsoauthoredorco-authoredseveralbooks.

　　Gatesisoneofthebest-knownentrepreneursofthepersonalcomputerrevolution.Althoughheisadmiredbymany,anumberofindustryinsiderscriticizehisbusinesstactics,whichtheyconsideranti-competitive,anopinionwhichhasinsomecasesbeenupheldbythecourts.[6][7]Inthelaterstagesofhiscareer,Gateshaspursuedanumberofphilanthropicendeavors,donatinglargeamountsofmoneytovariouscharitableorganizationsandscientificresearchprogramsthroughtheBill&MelindaGatesFoundation,establishedin2000.

　　BillGatessteppeddownaschiefexecutiveofficerofMicrosoftinJanuary,2000.Heremainedaschairmanandcreatedthepositionofchiefsoftwarearchitect.InJune,2006,Gatesannouncedthathewouldbetransitioningfromfull-timeworkatMicrosofttopart-timeworkandfull-timeworkattheBill&MelindaGatesFoundation.HegraduallytransferredhisdutiestoRayOzzie,chiefsoftwarearchitectandCraigMundie,chiefresearchandstrategyofficer.Gates'lastfull-timedayatMicrosoftwasJune27,2008.HeremainsatMicrosoftasnon-executivechairman.

　　Asof2009hehashadover5honorarydoctoratesfromseveralworldrenowneduniversities.