14 DAY TRIAL // Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO who stayed at the helm of the software giant for about 13 years, said in a new interview that he's not jealous of Satya Nadella's success, even though some of the products he launched recently were actually based on his ideas.
Ballmer tells the Wall Street Journal that whoever leads the company doesn't really matter as long as Microsoft progresses and the products offered to users are improved.
“I don’t think that’s an important topic, actually. It’s certainly not important to me. Microsoft is still like a child to me. So the fact that people are loving it, that’s all that really matters,” he said when asked whether he is upset that people do not give him enough credit for Microsoft's new products.
In the few months spent at the helm of the company, the new CEO Satya Nadella introduced Office for iPad, announced the return of the Start menu in Windows and is now preparing to roll out a new lineup of tablets that would include smaller and possibly bigger devices.
Of course, these projects were started during Ballmer's tenure at Microsoft, but it's Satya Nadella the one that's getting all the praise these days.
Ballmer also commented on the relation with investors, explaining that everyone within the company is now optimistic that Microsoft is heading in the right direction.
“Maybe starting with the ValueAct investment, there was an appreciation for the strength of the business we have in the enterprise. I think number two, people always can get optimistic about change. I’m very proud of what I accomplished, but most importantly I’m very proud we have a replacement that the world is very optimistic about — certainly I am — in Satya [Nadella],” he said.
“Optimism is a great thing. And I think we’ve made some very powerful announcements. The combination of those three things has people feeling bullish and optimistic, and that’s a great thing.”
Although no clear reason was provided for Ballmer's sudden departure for Microsoft, people close to the matter said that ValueAct Capital was one of the investors who asked him to go. Internal tension between Ballmer and some other executives, including former Windows boss Steven Sinofsky, also made many wonder whether he was still the right man for the job, especially because the company has also received some important hits, such as the increasing criticism after the launch of Windows 8.