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Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella is an Indian-American business executive best known as the chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Satya Nadella is an Indian-American business executive who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft. He became CEO on 4 February 2014 and chairman in 2021. Before that, he was executive vice president of Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise group, and he joined the company in 1992.

Early life and education

Satya Nadella was born in Hyderabad, India, in 1967. He studied electrical engineering and later earned graduate degrees in computer science and business administration.

Career at Microsoft

Nadella joined Microsoft in 1992 and held leadership roles across enterprise and consumer businesses. Before becoming CEO, he led the company’s Cloud and Enterprise group, helping shape its computing platforms.

Chief executive of Microsoft

Nadella became Microsoft’s CEO in February 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer. Under his leadership, Microsoft expanded its emphasis on cloud services and related technologies.

Chairmanship and leadership role

In 2021, Nadella also became chairman of Microsoft. This made him both the company’s chief executive and board chairman.

Key facts

  • Satya Nadella has served as Microsoft’s chief executive officer since 4 February 2014.
  • He became chairman of Microsoft in 2021.
  • Before becoming CEO, he was executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group.
  • He joined Microsoft in 1992.
  • He was born in Hyderabad, India, and is an Indian-American business executive.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Satya Nadella?
Satya Nadella is the chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft.
When did Satya Nadella become CEO of Microsoft?
He became Microsoft’s CEO on 4 February 2014.
When did Satya Nadella become chairman of Microsoft?
He became chairman of Microsoft in 2021.
Where was Satya Nadella born?
He was born in Hyderabad, India.
What did Satya Nadella do before becoming CEO?
He was executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group.

References

  1. Microsoft — https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/exec/satya-nadella
    Supports: Current title, leadership role, birthplace, education, and career background.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/money/Satya-Nadella
    Supports: Birth date, birthplace, and appointment as Microsoft CEO in 2014.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satya_Nadella
    Supports: Chairman role in 2021, CEO role since 2014, and prior Cloud and Enterprise leadership.