Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has announced his decision to step down, a move that will usher in one of the biggest restructurings in the company's history .
The reasons that led Ballmer to make this decision have not been reported, but some insiders say that many times board members did not agree with the company's direction.
“We have launched a new strategy, a new organization, and we have an amazing leadership team. My thoughts on the timing of the departure tell me that it should not happen in the middle of our company’s transformation. We need a CEO who will be here for the long term for this new direction.”
Steve Ballmer Microsoft , as the company's 30th employee and the first chief operating officer hired by co-founder Bill Gates. He quickly became one of Gates' closest friends, so it's no surprise that he always had the support of the man who built the world's largest software company.
Ballmer was officially named CEO of Microsoft in January 2000, although Gates continued to hold the position of president until 2006, when he decided to step down completely and focus solely on his philanthropic work.
He was responsible for various departments during the time he spent at Microsoft, such as the operating systems development department, the sales and support departments among others. Initially he was a business manager with a salary of $50,000, but quickly rose to Executive Vice President of Sales and Support and then President of the company.
According to Forbes, Steve Ballmer today holds earnings of $15.2 billion, a fact that makes him the 22nd richest person in the United States and the 51st in the world.
Ballmer's removal comes in the wake of the failure of Surface and Windows 8, as well as the two latest Microsoft products, which did not meet the company's expectations. However, international media present his removal as a decision for him to retire.
