Gates steps down from Microsoft board

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is stepping down from his role on the company’s board of directors to focus on philanthropy, the company announced Friday.

Gates will continue on as a tech adviser for leaders at Microsoft, including CEO Satya Nadella.

The billionaire philanthropist in 2008 transitioned out of his day-to-day role at the company, and stepped down as Microsoft’s board chairman in 2014.

Gates is also stepping down from the board of the holding company Berkshire Hathaway, he announced in a LinkedIn post.

“The leadership at the Berkshire companies and Microsoft has never been stronger, so the time is right to take this step,” Gates wrote.

Gates’s nonprofit, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, focuses on fighting extreme poverty and improving global health.