14 DAY TRIAL // Word is that some Microsoft shareholders want Bill Gates out of the company, so they are now pressuring the company's co-founder to sell his stake and resign as Microsoft chairman.
While that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, Hal Berenson, a former Microsoft engineer who worked for the software giant between 1994 and 2002, said in a blog post that Gates will most likely retire in approximately one year.
He believes that Gates' imminent retirement is actually the reason why he got all emotional during the recent shareholders meeting, as he acknowledged that it could be the last such event he might attend at Microsoft.
“If you want to know why Bill was so emotional at the recent shareholders meeting it was probably because this was likely his last as Microsoft Chairman, not just Steve Ballmer’s last as CEO. The founders era at Microsoft is coming to an end. Let me lay out my reasoning for you as well as some of the implications,” Hal wrote.
The former Microsoft then goes on to explain that this is the right moment for Bill Gates to resign, especially because a new CEO will soon be appointed.
What's more, he believes that an external CEO, possibly Alan Mulally, would ask the board to phase out Bill Gates before taking over from Steve Ballmer.
“A new CEO, particularly an outsider, could not succeed under similar conditions. In fact an outsider will almost certainly insist that Bill phase out of any role at Microsoft before he takes the job. An insider might have a different take if he had a long time connection to Bill. Only Satya Nadella probably fits that situation, and even Satya would be better off without Bill as Chairman,” Hal added.
As for the one who could become the new chairman, the big bet is again on Alan Mulally. Hal explains that while Mulally might not be the best choice for the CEO position, due to the lack of know-how in the IT market, he could be the best choice for the chairman position, especially in case a new CEO that's very familiar with Microsoft's business is appointed.