Bill Gates
Profession: Businessman
Nationality: American
Born: October 28, 1955
Brief Info: The founder and chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates helped revolutionize the personal computer era with his Windows operating system and Office productivity suite. Leaving Harvard in 1975, he and childhood friend Paul Allen formed Microsoft. Under his leadership and direction, the company has grown to be one of the most successful businesses in American history, employing more than 78,000 people in 105 countries. In 2006, Gates announced his transition to philanthropy, working alongside his wife Melinda to spend more time on global health and education issues through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He continues to serve as an adviser on key Microsoft projects.