During a recent appearance on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast series “People by WTF,” Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and noted philanthropist, praised current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for his outstanding leadership. Gates highlighted Nadella’s exceptional job in steering the tech giant, especially in the context of its global operations and relationship with India.
In the podcast, Gates discussed various topics, including artificial intelligence, the contrasts between capitalism and socialism, and his extensive connection with India. Reflecting on his tenure at Microsoft, Gates shared how the company’s relationship with India was instrumental in its achievements. He recalled, “In my digital-first career, the connection with India was fun and made a huge difference in what the company was able to achieve. India is such a study in contrast, first class in many ways, but still a lot of poverty and challenges.”
Gates expressed his admiration for Nadella, stating, “At the top of that list is Satya, who is now doing a great job as the CEO.” He elaborated on the significant impact of hiring talented IT graduates from India, who were initially brought to Seattle and later established a major development center for Microsoft in India, now spanning four locations and employing 25,000 people.
Gates also touched upon the collaborative efforts with India through the Gates Foundation, particularly in making affordable vaccines accessible. He praised the Serum Institute of India for producing cost-effective vaccines and emphasized the foundation’s nearly billion-dollar investment in India, making it the second-largest recipient of their funding.
The podcast episode has sparked conversations about leadership, global collaboration, and the role of innovative strategies in tackling global challenges. Gates’ commendation of Nadella underscores the importance of effective leadership and strategic international partnerships in driving corporate and social progress.