Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Will Retire Within 12 Months

Just yesterday we brought you a news article suggesting a Microsoft investor “ValueAct” wanted to get rid of Steve Ballmer. Within about 3-5 hours of publication Microsoft had released an official statement announcing that Steve Ballmer would retire as CEO within 12 months. Steve Ballmer will step down after a successor to his position has been picked by a Microsoft committee picked by the board of directors. While some may be sad to see Steve Ballmer leave, others would argue his departure will be good for Microsoft, in fact Microsoft shares rallied 9% after the announcement.

“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”

While Steve Ballmer had previously announced his intention to stay at the helm of Microsoft until 2017, it appears something has changed along the way. Maybe he was pushed, maybe he just decided that now was a good time to go, maybe the relative failure of Windows 8 and Surface knocked his confidence – who knows. It will certainly be interesting to see how things change at Microsoft over the next few years as they undergo this critical transition.

Image courtesy of Microsoft