In early 2016, two years into running Microsoft, CEO Satya Nadella needed advice from one of his newest employees, the cofounder of an app-tool maker Microsoft had just bought. Great companies were once built on Microsoft’s code, Nadella says he was reminded by Gates. Weeks after his start as CEO, Microsoft opened up its Azure cloud service to make it easier for developers to create iOS apps. Sales reps are now compensated when a deal with a key ally of Microsoft leads to more activity on Microsoft’s cloud. “It’s a different approach from a traditional software company,” says Gerri Martin-Flickinger, Starbucks’ CTO.

Source: Forbes December 10, 2018 10:30 UTC