Reed Hastings, Chairman and CEO, Netflix is the new board member to join Microsoft. He has also been appointed to the finance committee.
"Reed's track record for delivering innovative and disruptive technologies to market is very impressive. With his rich consumer and technology background, he will be a tremendous addition to our board," said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.
Hastings has been involved in promoting education initiatives and was also appointed as the president of California State Board of Education. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Bowdoin College and masters degree in computer science from Stanford University.
Hastings found Netflix in 1997 and the company closed down in 2006 with 6.3 million subscribers. Prior to Netflix, he found Pure Software which was built into one of the world's largest public software companies. Later Pure Software was acquired by Rational Software in 1997
"There are very few companies that rival Microsoft's impact on the way millions of people live, work and play around the world. I look forward to working with Microsoft's esteemed group of board members to help shape the direction of the company as it continues to tackle the biggest industry challenges and opportunities," Hastings said.
Microsoft's board of directors consists of William H. Gates, Microsoft chairman; Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer; James I. Cash Jr., Ph.D., former James E. Robison professor of business administration at Harvard Business School; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer, JPMorgan Chase; Raymond V. Gilmartin, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School and former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Merck & Co.; David F. Marquardt, general partner, August Capital; Charles H. Noski, former vice chairman of AT&T; Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW AG; and Jon A. Shirley, former president and chief operating officer of Microsoft.
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