Former Microsoft CEO talks about the firm in new interview

Nov 5, 2014 07:23 GMT  ·  By

Steve Ballmer stepped down as Microsoft CEO in February this year after the board replaced him with Satya Nadella, but the full retirement was announced only a few months after that, as the man who spent nearly 34 years at the software giant decided to also step down as board member.

And still, Ballmer continues to be the biggest individual shareholder of the company, and in a recent interview during the WSJD Live event last week, the former Microsoft CEO explained that he had absolutely no intention to sell his stock. Not now, not ever, he says, as he plans to remain a Microsoft shareholder until he dies.

In addition to being a Microsoft stock holder, Ballmer is also the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team, after purchasing it for nearly 2 billion (1.5 billion) earlier this year.

Obviously, since he still owns part of Microsoft, Ballmer keeps an eye on Microsoft as much as possible, but he admits that he is not at all actively involved in the company right now.

Real money coming from devices

Back in 2013, when he was still Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer pushed the company towards a completely new approach that would have turned it into a “devices and services firm,” with the focus obviously switched from software to hardware in an attempt to expand its area of expertise.

In Ballmer's era, Microsoft launched its very first tablet in history, the Surface RT, but also several other improved models, most of which, however, failed to make an impact on the company's profits.

The focus on hardware continues with Satya Nadella, but it's all happening under a completely new name, as the recently appointed CEO wants Microsoft to migrate towards a mobile first, cloud first world.

But Ballmer claims that the real money come from devices, so it's essential for Microsoft to continue investments in this business. The company needs to “keep moving,” he says.

Growing tension between Ballmer and Gates

It's a well-known fact that Steve Ballmer was one of the best friends of Bill Gates, founder and first CEO of software empire Microsoft.

But in late 2013/early 2014, the relationship between Ballmer and Gates was becoming frostier mostly because of the acquisition of Nokia's Devices and Services unit. Ballmer was one of the main pioneers behind this acquisition, but people close to the matter said that Bill Gates didn't agree with the takeover at first.

Ballmer, however, threatened with resignation, so the deal went through after all, but the collaboration between the former CEO and Microsoft's co-founder ended in February, when a new CEO was appointed.