Steve Ballmer (57) has announced that he will be stepping down as CEO of Microsoft within the next twelve months. Steve Ballmer has been CEO of Microsoft since 2000, he filled the position after Bill Gates stepped down.
Although Microsoft has remained quite strong under Ballmer it seems that lately the software giant has been struggling with it’s identity. This change up could shake things up enough to push the company forward towards future innovation and hopefully we will see some strong results.
“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.”
Steve has always been extremely passionate about Microsoft, as is evident in many of his early promotional videos and appearances for the company. I highly recommend you check out this video.