RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Microsoft is getting a new board chair: CEO Satya Nadella.

The tech giant’s board announced Nadella’s selection Wednesday evening after the stock markets closed.

“In this role, Nadella will lead the work to set the agenda for the board, leveraging his deep understanding of the business to elevate the right strategic opportunities and identify key risks and mitigation approaches for the board’s review,” the company said in a statement.

Nadella has led Microsoft as CEO since replacing Steve Ballmer seven years ago.

As chair, Nadella replaces Symantec CEO John Thompson.

“The change reflects the success Nadella has had in the past seven years making Microsoft more prominent in technology and business altogether,” notes CNBC.

Microsoft is growing its footprint in North Carolina as the company’s growth continues to accelerate, particularly in cloud computing.