Bill Gates

William Henry Gates III, born on October 28, 1955, is an American businessperson, investor, and philanthropist. He is best known for co-founding the software giant Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Gates held various positions at Microsoft, including chairman, CEO, president, and chief software architect. He played a significant role in the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. Gates was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and founded Microsoft with Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975. Under Gates' leadership, Microsoft became the world's largest personal computer software company. He stepped down as CEO in 2000 but remained chairman of the board and became chief software architect. Gates has faced criticism for his business tactics in the late 1990s.