14 DAY TRIAL // Steven Sinofsky, the former Windows boss who decided to leave Microsoft just after the public debut of Windows 8, is not allowed to work for other tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
The information was disclosed as part of the company’s official 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission which confirms that Sinofsky won’t be allowed to badmouth Microsoft or disclose any private details that could affect the Redmond-based firm.
Here are a few paragraphs from the retirement agreement between Microsoft and Steven Sinofsky:
“In addition to the Continuing Obligations, Steven agrees that he will not for a period of twelve months after the Separation Date
(a) accept direct or indirect employment with the following companies, Amazon, Apple, EMC, Facebook, Google, Oracle, VMWare;
(b) directly or indirectly communicate with any client or customer of Microsoft or its subsidiaries listed on Exhibit D for the purpose of encouraging such client or customer to cease doing business with Microsoft
(c) intentionally do any of the following: encourage, induce, attempt to induce or assist another to induce or attempt to induce any person employed by Microsoft or by one of Microsoft’s subsidiaries to terminate his or her employment with Microsoft or its subsidiary or to work for any entity other than Microsoft or its subsidiary or interfere with the relationship between Microsoft and any officer thereof.”
Steven Sinofsky has been in charge with the Windows division at Microsoft until late October when he decided to resign for yet-to-be-disclosed reasons.
Voices familiar with the matter hinted that it all happened due to disagreements with CEO Steve Ballmer, who had decided to fire Sinofsky and replace him with Julie Larson-Green.
What’s more, unconfirmed rumors indicated that Sinofsky was hoping to become the new Microsoft CEO after the launch of Windows 8, despite Ballmer’s intentions to stay at the helm of the company until 2017 or 2018.
Steven Sinofsky joined Microsoft in July 1989 and has since participated in the development of several key products, including Windows, Internet Explorer, Outlook.com, and SkyDrive.