Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella
Born	Satya Narayana Nadella 19 8, 1967
Birthplace	Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Title	Chairman and CEO of Microsoft
Employer	Microsoft
Known for	Chairman and CEO of Microsoft
Education	University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (BS), University of Chicago (MBA)
Website	[https://news.microsoft.com/exec/satya-nadella/ Official site]

Satya Narayana Nadella (born 19 August 1967) is an American business executive who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Microsoft, one of the world's largest technology companies. Born in Hyderabad, India, Nadella emigrated to the United States to pursue higher education and joined Microsoft in 1992, rising through the company's ranks over more than two decades before being named CEO on 4 February 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer. In 2021, he also assumed the role of chairman of the board, succeeding John W. Thompson. Before his appointment as CEO, Nadella served as executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise group, where he oversaw the development of the company's cloud computing platforms, most notably Microsoft Azure. Under his leadership, Microsoft has undergone a significant strategic transformation, shifting its focus toward cloud computing and, more recently, artificial intelligence, including a high-profile partnership with OpenAI. Nadella is the author of Hit Refresh, a 2017 memoir that explores his personal journey, his leadership philosophy, and his vision for the future of technology.

Early Life

Satya Narayana Nadella was born on 19 August 1967 in Hyderabad, India. He grew up in a family rooted in public service; his father, Bukkapuram Nadella Yugandhar, was a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), one of India's premier civil service bodies. Nadella has spoken about the influence of his upbringing in India, including a formative interest in cricket, a sport he has continued to follow throughout his life. In a 2017 interview with ESPNcricinfo, Nadella discussed how cricket shaped his understanding of teamwork and leadership, noting that the sport should not "shy away from technological change" and the "new challenges" it brings.

Nadella attended the Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, where he developed an early interest in technology and computing. However, the school and the broader educational environment in Hyderabad at the time did not offer a full computer science program, which motivated Nadella to seek educational opportunities abroad. This decision to leave India for the United States in the late 1980s would prove pivotal, setting the course for Nadella's career in the American technology industry.

Education

Nadella left India to attend the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1990. He subsequently earned a Master of Science degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and later pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The combination of technical and business education provided Nadella with a dual foundation in engineering and management that would characterize his approach to leadership at Microsoft.

An often-cited personal detail about Nadella's immigration journey involves his visa status. According to reporting by FirstPost, Nadella at one point surrendered his green card in favour of an H-1B visa, a decision he made for personal reasons — specifically, so that his then-girlfriend (and future wife) Anupama could join him in the United States on a dependent visa. This anecdote has been widely discussed in the context of broader debates about U.S. immigration policy and the role of skilled immigrants in the technology sector.

Career

Early career at Microsoft

Nadella joined Microsoft in 1992, prior to which he had worked at Sun Microsystems. At Microsoft, he held a series of increasingly senior positions across the company's major product and business divisions over a period of more than two decades. His early work at the company spanned multiple areas, including the development of key enterprise products and technologies.

As he progressed through the organization, Nadella became known for his technical expertise and his ability to manage large-scale engineering teams. He held leadership roles in divisions responsible for Microsoft's server and tools business, online services, and business software, gaining experience across the company's most significant product lines.

Executive vice president: Cloud and enterprise

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Nadella served as executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise group. In this role, he was responsible for building and running the company's computing platforms, including Microsoft Azure, the company's cloud computing service. Under Nadella's leadership, the cloud and enterprise division experienced substantial revenue growth, and Azure emerged as a major competitor to Amazon Web Services in the rapidly expanding cloud infrastructure market. This success in the cloud business was a key factor in his selection as CEO, as it demonstrated his capacity to identify and execute on emerging technology trends.

Appointment as CEO

On 4 February 2014, Microsoft's board of directors announced that Nadella had been appointed as the company's third CEO, succeeding Steve Ballmer, who had led the company since 2000. Nadella was only the third chief executive in Microsoft's history, following co-founder Bill Gates and Ballmer. His appointment was seen as a signal that Microsoft would prioritize cloud computing and enterprise services under his leadership, building on the success he had achieved in the cloud and enterprise division.

At the time of his appointment, Microsoft was facing challenges on several fronts. Its mobile platform, Windows Phone, was struggling to compete with iOS and Android; the company's personal computing business was contending with declining PC sales; and its consumer-facing products had received mixed reviews. Nadella moved quickly to reshape the company's strategy, emphasizing a "mobile-first, cloud-first" approach that sought to position Microsoft as a provider of platforms and services across all devices, not just those running Windows.

Strategic transformation and cloud computing

Under Nadella's leadership, Microsoft underwent a significant strategic shift. The company increased its investment in cloud computing, and Azure became one of the company's fastest-growing businesses. Nadella also oversaw a cultural transformation within Microsoft, moving the company away from what had been described as an internally competitive culture toward one that emphasized collaboration, empathy, and a "growth mindset" — a concept he has frequently cited, drawn from the work of psychologist Carol Dweck.

Key strategic decisions during Nadella's tenure as CEO have included the acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016, the acquisition of GitHub in 2018, and the acquisition of Nuance Communications in 2021. These acquisitions reflected Nadella's strategy of expanding Microsoft's reach into professional networking, software development, and healthcare technology, respectively. He also oversaw the launch of Microsoft Teams, which became a major collaboration platform, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Nadella was named chairman of the board of Microsoft, adding to his role as CEO and succeeding John W. Thompson in the chairman position.

Artificial intelligence and OpenAI partnership

One of the most consequential strategic decisions of Nadella's tenure has been Microsoft's investment in and partnership with OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research laboratory. Microsoft initially invested $1 billion in OpenAI, a decision that, according to Nadella, was met with skepticism even from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. In a 2026 account, Nadella recalled that Gates told him the investment would fail, saying, "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars." Despite the skepticism, Nadella said "it was not that hard to convince anyone" within the company to proceed with the investment.

The partnership with OpenAI has since become central to Microsoft's corporate strategy, particularly following the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 and its subsequent integration into Microsoft products. Microsoft has incorporated OpenAI's technology into a range of its products and services under the branding "Copilot," an AI-powered assistant integrated into Microsoft 365, Bing, Windows, and other platforms. In January 2026, Nadella publicly shared usage figures for Copilot in response to reports suggesting low adoption, insisting that users were engaging with Microsoft's AI products at scale.

Nadella has been vocal about the potential of artificial intelligence to transform productivity and knowledge work. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, he framed AI as a challenge to Fortune 500 companies, urging business leaders to adopt the technology or risk falling behind. He has also acknowledged the challenges associated with AI, including concerns about the quality of AI-generated content — often disparagingly referred to as "slop" — and the significant energy consumption required to power AI data centers. In a year-end writeup on the state of AI, Nadella addressed the "slop" label directly, pushing back against its use. In a separate statement, Nadella warned that the technology industry must "do something useful" with AI or risk losing "social permission" to consume the electricity required to operate it.

Gaming and Xbox leadership

Nadella has also overseen Microsoft's expanding presence in the gaming industry. Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023, one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the technology and gaming industries, was completed during his tenure. In February 2026, Nadella announced significant leadership changes within Microsoft's gaming division, including the appointment of Asha Sharma as executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Nadella expressed that he was "excited for how we will capture the opportunity ahead" in gaming.

The leadership change drew commentary from industry figures, including Xbox co-founder Ed Fries. According to a report by Yahoo Finance, Fries suggested that Nadella "has a hammer called gen AI" and "there's a nail with an Xbox logo on it," implying that Nadella's emphasis on generative AI was shaping decisions within the gaming division. The report noted that Nadella "believes that games are going to be driven by AI," a view reflected in the appointment of a leader with a background in generative AI to head the gaming business.

Personal Life

Nadella is married to Anupama Nadella (née Priyadarshini). The couple's relationship predates Nadella's career at Microsoft; as reported by FirstPost, Nadella surrendered his green card in favour of an H-1B visa so that Anupama could accompany him to the United States on a dependent visa, a decision he has described as motivated by their relationship. The couple have three children.

Nadella's eldest son, Zain Nadella, was born with cerebral palsy as a result of in utero asphyxiation. Nadella has spoken publicly about the impact of his son's condition on his personal worldview and his approach to leadership, describing how the experience deepened his capacity for empathy. This personal experience is discussed at length in his book Hit Refresh. Zain Nadella died on 28 February 2022, at the age of 26.

Nadella has maintained a lifelong interest in cricket and has drawn parallels between the sport and business leadership. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, he discussed how cricket taught him lessons about teamwork, adaptability, and strategic thinking.

Publications

In 2017, Nadella published his memoir Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone. The book explores three interrelated themes: Nadella's personal journey from India to the helm of one of the world's largest technology companies, the transformation of Microsoft's corporate culture under his leadership, and his vision for the future role of technology — particularly cloud computing and artificial intelligence — in society. The Verge described the book as reflecting Nadella's "on-again, off-again love affair" with technology. A review published by Star2 noted the memoir's discussion of personal challenges, including the impact of his son's disability on his leadership philosophy.

Legacy

Nadella's tenure at the helm of Microsoft has been marked by a substantial increase in the company's market capitalization, which grew from approximately $300 billion at the time of his appointment in 2014 to over $3 trillion by 2024, making Microsoft one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world. This financial performance has been attributed in significant part to the successful execution of the company's cloud computing strategy and, more recently, its investments in artificial intelligence.

Beyond financial metrics, Nadella is credited with reshaping Microsoft's corporate culture. His emphasis on a "growth mindset," empathy, and collaboration represented a departure from the internal competitiveness that had characterized the company under previous leadership. This cultural shift has been discussed in business media and in Nadella's own writings as essential to enabling the company's strategic pivot.

Nadella's approach to artificial intelligence has positioned Microsoft as one of the leading companies in the AI industry, although it has also generated scrutiny. His public statements about the need for AI to deliver tangible value to users and society — and his acknowledgment that the technology industry risks losing public trust if it fails to do so — have been noted by commentators as a pragmatic approach to managing the risks and expectations surrounding AI.

His leadership in pursuing the OpenAI partnership, despite initial skepticism from figures including Bill Gates, is now viewed as one of the defining strategic bets of his tenure. As of 2026, Nadella continues to serve as both chairman and CEO of Microsoft, overseeing the company's ongoing transformation and its expanding role in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and gaming.