Bill Gates and Trustworthy Computing: A Case Study in Transformational Leadership

The notion that IT security is a serious issue is non-controversial. The market for cybersecurity spending topped $75 billion in 2015, and analysts expect it to exceed $170 billion by 2020 (Morgan 2016). With the advent of cloud computing, the explosion of mobile devices, and the emergence of increasingly sophisticated adversaries from organized crime and nation-state actors, businesses and the industry as a whole will require the vision of great leaders to keep pace with the threats. We can look to the industry's rich history to see examples of such transformational leadership in the past. An enlightening case study is the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing initiative, launched by an insightful and stimulating memo Bill Gates sent on January 15, 2002. The initiative would not only transform culture, procedures, and policy surrounding security at Microsoft, but would in fact cause a dramatic shift for the entire industry. The idealized influence in the leadership shown by Gates can serve as a model for today's leaders.