John W. Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John W. Thompson
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John W. Thompson
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John Wendell Thompson
April 24, 1949 Fort Dix, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Education | Florida A&M University (BBA, 1971) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MBA, 1983) |
| Occupation | Chairman, Microsoft Corporation Chairman, Illumina |
| Employer | IBM (1971–1999) Symantec (1999–2009) Microsoft (2014–2021) Illumina (2021–2023) |
John Wendell Thompson (born April 24, 1949) is an American business leader in technology. He was the chairman of Microsoft from 2014 to 2021. He also led Illumina as chairman from 2021 to 2023. Before that, he was a top leader at companies like Virtual Instruments, IBM, and Symantec. Thompson joined Microsoft's board and became chairman in 2014. He helped choose Satya Nadella as the new CEO of Microsoft.
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About John Thompson
John Thompson was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey. He went to high school in Florida. He studied business at Florida A&M University and later earned a master's degree from MIT Sloan School of Management. He has also worked with Ducks Unlimited to help protect nature.
Early Career at IBM
Before becoming the CEO of Symantec in 1999, Thompson worked at IBM for 28 years. He held important jobs in sales, marketing, and software development. His last role at IBM was general manager for the Americas.
Helping with National Security
In 2002, Thompson was asked to join the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee (NIAC). This group gives advice on how to keep important parts of the United States safe. This includes things like power grids and communication systems.
Investing in Sports
In 2005, Thompson bought a part of the Golden State Warriors NBA basketball team. He joined with three other business people from Silicon Valley to do this.
Leading Symantec
Thompson was the CEO of Symantec, a company known for its computer security software. He retired from this role in 2009. After leaving Symantec, he became the CEO of Virtual Instruments. This company creates tools for computer networks. Thompson left Virtual Instruments in 2016.
Becoming Microsoft Chairman
Thompson joined Microsoft's board of directors in 2012. On February 4, 2014, he was named chairman of Microsoft. He took over from Bill Gates. On the same day, Satya Nadella became the new CEO of Microsoft. Thompson said he joined Microsoft because he had always admired the company. He called it "one of the true, iconic companies in our country."
Board Memberships
John Thompson has served on the boards of many different companies and organizations. Being on a board means he helps guide the company's decisions.
- Microsoft
- Illumina
- Illinois Governor's Human Resource Advisory Council
- Teach For America
- Illumio
- Liquid Robotics
- Rubrik
- Seismic Software
- Inxeption
Public Service
Thompson has also been involved in public service. He supported Barack Obama's campaign for president in 2008. In 2009, he was considered for a role in the Obama administration.
Later in 2009, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appointed Thompson to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. This group looked into the reasons behind the financial crisis that happened around that time.
