Microsoft vs Post Holdings: Founders, CEOs and History
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates, Paul Allen and is led by Satya Nadella. Post Holdings was founded in 2012 by William P. Stiritz and is led by Nicolas Catoggio.
Company facts
Microsoft
- Founded
- 1975
- Headquarters
- Redmond, Washington, United States
- Current CEO
- Satya Nadella
- Employees
- 223,000
Post Holdings
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Current CEO
- Nicolas Catoggio
- Employees
- 13,180
Founders
Microsoft
Bill Gates
Microsoft was founded in 1975 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, childhood friends from Seattle who had spent their teenage years finding ways to get free time on mainframe computers.
Paul Allen
Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft and was crucial to its earliest technical and strategic decisions. He helped develop Altair BASIC, gave the company its original name, and participated in the operating-system opportunity that led to MS-DOS.
Post Holdings
William P. Stiritz
William P. Stiritz is the founding Chairman and CEO of the modern Post Holdings. When Ralcorp spun off its Post cereal business in February 2012, Stiritz took charge of the new company and began the acquisition strategy that later added Michael Foods and MOM B…
CEOs and their tenures
Microsoft
- Bill Gates1975–2000
Co-founder and CEO
Gates built Microsoft's licensing model: software sold to many hardware makers rather than tied to one.
Source - Steve Ballmer2000–2014
CEO
Ballmer grew revenue from about $23 billion in FY2000 to about $78 billion in FY2013 and built the enterprise server and sales business that Azure later scaled on.
Source - Satya Nadella2014–present
Chairman and CEO
Nadella made Azure and Microsoft 365 the company's core, opened Microsoft to Linux and open source, and positioned it early in generative AI through OpenAI.
Source
Post Holdings
- William P. Stiritz2012–2014
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
As the legendary Chairman and former CEO, the highly revered financial architect completely defined the company's complex, private-equity-style corporate structure.
Source - Robert V. Vitale2014–present
Executive Chairman (CEO 2014-2026)
Previously Post's CFO; from October 1, 2026 advises on capital allocation as Executive Chairman.
Source - Matthew J. Mainer2022–present
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
As CFO, he steers the company's aggressive, highly acquisitive capital allocation strategy, acting as the primary architect behind its massive M&A playbook.
Source - Nicolas Catoggio2026–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Former Boston Consulting Group Managing Director and Senior Partner who advised Post on M&A diligence and integrations before joining.
Source
Timeline: Microsoft and Post Holdings side by side
1975Microsoft
Microsoft Founded
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft after recognizing that the Altair 8800 needed usable programming software. Their first product, Altair BASIC, turned a hobbyist computer kit into a programmable platform.
1981Microsoft
MS-DOS Ships With IBM PC
IBM introduced its personal computer with MS-DOS 1.0 and other Microsoft products. The milestone mattered because Microsoft's operating-system work moved from a small software supplier's project into the emerging corporate PC standard.
1985Microsoft
Windows Launch
The release of Windows 1.0 began Microsoft's long move from command-line operating systems to graphical personal computing. The first version was not an instant blockbuster, but it gave Microsoft a user-interface path that could evolve with PC hardware.
1986Microsoft
Microsoft IPO
Microsoft went public on the Nasdaq in March 1986.
1990Microsoft
Office Suite Release
The bundling of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into Microsoft Office created a productivity suite that became central to business work. The bundle simplified enterprise purchasing and made file compatibility a competitive weapon.
1995Microsoft
Windows 95 Released
Microsoft released Windows 95 in August 1995.
1998Microsoft
U.S. Antitrust Case
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Microsoft of using Windows power to suppress browser competition. The case mattered because it placed Microsoft's platform tactics under public and legal scrutiny at the height of its PC strong position.
2010Microsoft
Azure Commercial Launch
Azure gave Microsoft a way to compete in cloud infrastructure as enterprise customers began shifting workloads away from company-owned servers.
2012Post Holdings
Post Holdings Spin-Off
Post completed its separation from Ralcorp and began trading on the NYSE.
2014Microsoft
Satya Nadella CEO
Satya Nadella became CEO and moved Microsoft away from a strategy that forced every product to serve Windows. He prioritized Azure, Microsoft 365, open source, Linux support, cross-platform software, and a more collaborative developer posture.
2014Post Holdings
Michael Foods Acquisition
Post expanded into egg products and foodservice through Michael Foods.
2015Post Holdings
MOM Brands Acquisition
Post broadened its cereal portfolio with MOM Brands.
2016Microsoft
LinkedIn Acquisition
Microsoft agreed to acquire LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion in cash. The deal mattered because it added a professional identity network to a company already strong in Office, Dynamics, cloud services, recruiting tools, advertising, and enterprise sales.
2017Post Holdings
Weetabix Acquisition
Post added the U.K. Weetabix cereal business.
2018Microsoft
GitHub Acquisition
Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion in stock, reversing years of developer skepticism toward the company. The acquisition placed Microsoft inside the daily workflow of software developers across languages, clouds, and operating systems.
2018Post Holdings
Bob Evans Acquisition
Post expanded refrigerated retail and foodservice exposure.
2023Microsoft
AI Leadership
Microsoft's expanded OpenAI partnership and Copilot product rollout placed the company at the center of enterprise generative AI adoption.
2023Microsoft
Activision Blizzard Acquisition Closes
Microsoft completed the Activision Blizzard acquisition after intense regulatory review. The deal added Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Candy Crush, and other franchises to Microsoft Gaming.
2025Post Holdings
8th Avenue Acquired
Post acquired the remaining interest in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions.
2026Post Holdings
CEO Transition
Nicolas Catoggio became President and CEO on October 1, 2026.
Acquisitions
Microsoft
- Activision Blizzard2023$68.7B
- Nuance Communications2022$19.7B
- ZeniMax Media2021$7.5B
- GitHub2018$7.5B
- LinkedIn2016$26.2B
Post Holdings
- 8th Avenue Food & Provisions2025Undisclosed
- Pet Food Portfolio (J.M. Smucker)2023$1.2B
- Bob Evans Farms2018$1.5B
- Weetabix2017Undisclosed
- MOM Brands (Malt-O-Meal)2015$1.1B
- Michael Foods2014$2.5B
Questions about Microsoft vs Post Holdings
Who is the CEO of Microsoft Corporation and Post Holdings, Inc.?
Microsoft Corporation is led by Satya Nadella and Post Holdings, Inc. is led by Nicolas Catoggio. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Microsoft Corporation founded vs Post Holdings, Inc.?
Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 — 37 years before Post Holdings, Inc., which was founded in 2012. Microsoft Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Post Holdings, Inc..
How many employees does Microsoft Corporation have compared to Post Holdings, Inc.?
Microsoft Corporation employs approximately 223,000 people, while Post Holdings, Inc. employs approximately 13,180. Microsoft Corporation has the larger workforce at 223,000 employees, compared to Post Holdings, Inc.'s 13,180. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Microsoft Corporation and Post Holdings, Inc. headquartered?
Both Microsoft Corporation and Post Holdings, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Microsoft Corporation and Post Holdings, Inc.?
Microsoft Corporation was founded by Bill Gates, Paul Allen. Post Holdings, Inc. was founded by William P. Stiritz.
Which company has a longer operating history — Microsoft Corporation or Post Holdings, Inc.?
Microsoft Corporation has been operating for approximately 51 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Post Holdings, Inc. has been in operation for around 14 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Microsoft vs Post Holdings overview