WilliamHenryBillGatesWilliamHenryBillGatesIII(bornOctober28,1955)isanAmericanbusinessmagnate,philanthropist,authorandchairmanofMicrosoft,thesoftwarecompanyhefoundedwithPaulAllen
Heisconsistentlyrankedamongtheworld'swealthiestpeopleandwasthewealthiestoverallfrom1995to2009,excluding2008,whenhewasrankedthird
DuringhiscareeratMicrosoft,GatesheldthepositionsofCEOandchiefsoftwarearchitect,andremainsthelargestindividualshareholderwithmorethan8percentofthecommonstock
Hehasalsoauthoredorco-authoredseveralbooks
Gatesisoneofthebest-knownentrepreneursofthepersonalcomputerrevolution
Althoughheisadmiredbymany,anumberofindustryinsiderscriticizehisbusinesstactics,whichtheyconsideranti-competitive,anopinionwhichhasinsomecasesbeenupheldbythecourts
Inthelaterstagesofhiscareer,Gateshaspursuedanumberofphilanth