John W. Thompson
- Born:
- April 24, 1949, Fort Dix, New Jersey, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Business Executive, Investor
Early Life and Education
- Graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
- Earned a Master of Science in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Career and Major Achievements
- Held various sales and management positions at IBM over a 28-year career.
- Served as CEO of Symantec from 1999 to 2009, significantly growing the company.
- Served as Chairman of the Board for Virtual Instruments.
- Became lead independent director at Microsoft in 2012.
- Appointed Chairman of Microsoft in February 2014, succeeding Bill Gates.
- Instrumental in the selection of Satya Nadella as CEO of Microsoft.
- Currently a Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners.
- Serves on the Board of Directors for various companies, including Nubank and Rubrik.
Legacy and Impact
John W. Thompson is a highly respected business leader and investor known for his transformative leadership at Symantec and his pivotal role in Microsoft's strategic direction and leadership transition. His guidance and experience have been instrumental in shaping the technology landscape.
Notable Works
While not directly authoring books or developing core technologies, the strategic decisions and leadership provided by John Thompson significantly impacted the direction and success of companies like Symantec and Microsoft. The examination of the role of John Thompson in guiding the strategic direction of Microsoft reveals key insights into the company's success during his tenure, often referred to in the phrase 'john thompson microsoft biography' searches.