Three Top Microsoft Investors Allegedly Want To Boot Gates From The Company’s Board

[Youbetternot]

Oh snap, people start to hate on Bill gates now, this time in his own business and top investors too!

 

According to Reuters, three of Microsoft’s top 20 investors are making noise that Microsoft remove its founder and former CEO Bill Gates from its board of directors. Gates is currently chairman of Microsoft’s board.

The information is almost odd, and points at a potential blank slate for Microsoft. In the midst of a massive reorganization, current CEO Steve Ballmer is stepping down. If Gates were to transition away from the company as well, it would leave Microsoft with new leadership and serve as a pivotal moment in its history.

Microsoft is more than working to better align its internal teams and revamp its larger business model by moving away from selling software and towards vending both “devices” and “services.” Its early services efforts, such as Office 365 and Azure, have performed well, while its Surface project (the devices side of things) has flagged.

Why shift Gates? According to Reuters, the grumpy few feel that he might hold the company back from finding new direction.

Don’t think for a minute that Gates is about to let go of the reins gently. He’s been a fixture at Microsoft since its soul was first formed, and even though he has no intention of returning to the CEO position, I’ve seen little that would indicate that he wants to walk away from Microsoft altogether.

Also, if you are a Gates fan – and so very, very many of you are, as I’ve learned from your politetweets – it doesn’t make sense to yank Gates from the board precisely when his guidance could be key to helping the company pick its next leader. People that won’t be: Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, Steven Sinofsky, You, Me. Everyone else is pretty much up for speculation.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/01/three-top-microsoft-investors-allegedly-want-to-boot-gates-from-the-companys-board/

 

[TheSLSAMG]

Wow, this makes me sad. A man who truly innovated and did such a good job at bringing Microsoft to where it is today while also changing less fortunate peoples' lives is being taken from his once-own company. Reminds me of when Steve Jobs was booted from Apple. Those are two men I will have an everlasting respect for.

[helping]

I can't be the only one snickering to myself over here. He builds a massive empire from his innovations, which is now trying to kick him off of it because of share holders.

 

#MichealDellproblems 

[dalekphalm]

At first when I read this, I thought "WTF, how could they do this? He's a majority shareholder!"

 

Then I remembered he started selling stock in the 90's (One of the reasons why he lost the title of Richest Person Alive for a while). I looked in on it, and he currently holds somewhere around 6.4% of the stock. While he is the single largest shareholder, he could get ousted if several large shareholders teamed up against him and voted for his removal.

 

I strongly believe that removing him would be the biggest mistake the shareholders could do. Shareholders care about money/profit, and usually short term over long term. Bill Gates on the other hand actually cares about the future of Microsoft, long term.

 

Bill Gates is a visionary and a business genius (as well as a technical genius too, as he was/is a fantastic programmer). I believe he is one of the few people who could hold Microsoft's vision in place and ensure that they get back on track or turn ModernUI/Surface into a long term success. While it's a shame that he likely won't take the CEO reigns, he can at least help make sure the right person takes over. I'm glad Ballmer is on his way out, and I'm looking forward to what a new CEO will bring in.

[chromeboy42]

It'll be really sad if he goes, even if he has tried to distance himself from the company he is still a huge deal. Bill Gates will always be synonymous with Microsoft, it would be a shame to taint that

[TheSLSAMG]

I can't be the only one snickering to myself over here. He builds a massive empire from his innovations, which is now trying to kick him off of it because of share holders.

 

#MichaelDellproblems

My middle name is Michael, and for some reason I correct it every time I see it spelled incorrectly.

[Mooshi]

The share holders can go get wrecked. What was the saying..something about biting the hand that feeds you? If I were Gates, I'd swiftly remind them who founded the company and who is the billionaire.

[Rohizzle]

This will be crazy if they did that!

[helping]

My middle name is Micheal, and for some reason I correct it every time I see it spelled incorrectly.

My bad, it's a difficult name to spell, I can never remember if the e or a is first. 

 

@TheSLSAMG subtle humor is always the best 

[TheSLSAMG]

My bad, it's a difficult name to spell, I can never remember if the e or a is first.

Don't worry about it. I can't remember how to spell less complex words sometimes.

@helping Yes it is

[EChondo]

Very, very sad.

 

The way Microsoft is going now, I have no idea if this could be beneficial or could severely hurt their future.

[Yoinkerman]

I'd prefer a man with a conscience as the chair than some slimy investors.

[Humbug]

Bill Gates is a visionary and a business genius (as well as a technical genius too, as he was/is a fantastic programmer). I believe he is one of the few people who could hold Microsoft's vision in place and ensure that they get back on track or turn ModernUI/Surface into a long term success. While it's a shame that he likely won't take the CEO reigns, he can at least help make sure the right person takes over. I'm glad Ballmer is on his way out, and I'm looking forward to what a new CEO will bring in.

Agreed with what you said, but I think they see Bill as a software guy (which is what he is). And they probably want to take Microsoft in a more Apple and Samsung like direction...

[dalekphalm]

My middle name is Michael, and for some reason I correct it every time I see it spelled incorrectly.

I know how you feel, but there are multiple correct/accepted ways of spelling Michael (Micheal being the other major way). It depends on how his parents named him really. Both are correct, though it would depend on his specific spelling.

 

That's like saying, I was named Erik, yet you've only seen it spelled Eric, therefore I'm spelling my own name wrong.

 

Anyway rant over

[TheSLSAMG]

I know how you feel, but there are multiple correct/accepted ways of spelling Michael (Micheal being the other major way). It depends on how his parents named him really. Both are correct, though it would depend on his specific spelling.

 

That's like saying, I was named Erik, yet you've only seen it spelled Eric, therefore I'm spelling my own name wrong.

 

Anyway rant over

http://rangers.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8474230

 

For example, Micheal Haley on the New York Rangers (Hockey team)