The world's largest charitable foundation is going through another major management shift, this time to a Nebraskan.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has dropped a cone of silence over its new CEO, former Microsoft executive Jeff Raikes. The foundation has been denying requests for media interviews in order to give him 100 days of solitude to focus on his new job.

But the 50-year-old Raikes, who starts at the foundation tomorrow, has called his new challenge "a dream job."

He's taking over for outgoing CEO Patty Stonesifer.

Raikes was born in Nebraska and grew up on the family farm near Ashland, west of Omaha.

Raikes and his wife are trustees of the University of Nebraska Foundation. Brother Ron is a state senator.