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The former CEO and co-founder of the software giant had announced in June 2006 that he would transition out of a day-to-day role in July 2008, and true to his word has packed in his day job to focus on projects supported by his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Although he is still to continue as chairman at Microsoft, he will only be working at the company one day a week.

The Harvard dropout went on to become the wealthiest man in the world and gained both fame and notoriety for his success at Microsoft. He will remain the company's largest shareholder with his £11.5 billion stock.

"His legacy has to be as one of the shrewdest businessmen and technologist of the 20th century," said Michael Cusumano, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.

Rob Helm, director of research at independent research firm Directions of Microsoft, reckons that Gates will go down as one of the great businessmen in history.

"He's never going to be necessarily a widely admired figure, but someone who created an activity that came to represent a chunk of the American economy," he said.