Steve Ballmer's biography:
After completing his studies in mathematics at Harvard University, where he met Bill Gates, Ballmer worked as a product manager at Procter & Gamble before dropping out of a short-term academic training course at Stanford Business School in Palo Alto, California in 1980.
He joined Microsoft, co-founded by Gates and Paul Allen, and was appointed Vice President for Sales after Allen's departure. Ballmer developed into a sales expert, leading the company to success alongside Gates, and played a key role in the company's growth from 130 employees in 1981 to 1,200 in 1986.
Under Ballmer's leadership, Microsoft expanded into the Internet market, and he was promoted to president in 1998 and CEO in 2000. During his tenure, the company developed new operating systems, including Windows 2000 and Windows XP, and launched the Internet project Microsoft.Net and office software Office XP in 2001.
However, the company faced legal challenges, with US and EU antitrust courts turning against Microsoft's dominant monopoly position. Despite this, Ballmer continued to lead the company, strengthening his role as CEO following the departure of President Rick Belluzzo in 2002.
In 2005, Microsoft launched a new offensive, offering e-mail queries via mobile phones, and in 2007, Ballmer became an honorary citizen of the municipality of Lausen BL in Switzerland due to his father's residency in the area.
Today, Ballmer lives with his wife and two children in Redmond, the headquarters of Microsoft.
