14 DAY TRIAL // News that Steve Ballmer will be leaving Microsoft in the next 12 months surprised everyone, but the outgoing CEO has actually starting thinking about retirement more than three years ago.
Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley claims that this information was disclosed in a private talk with Microsoft officials who explained that the succession plans were started three to four years ago.
That's a bit surprising given the fact that Ballmer has recently stated that he wanted to stay with Microsoft until 2017 or 2018 but, given the company's recent performance, an upper management shift could be helpful.
Microsoft has already started the search for a new CEO, with a special committee founded yesterday in charge of talking with every candidate. The company is looking at both internal and external people, but no potential successor has been disclosed until now.