14 DAY TRIAL // Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in a recent interview that the European Union must regulate Google’s domination on the Old Continent in order to “permit competition.”
Ballmer, who’s been the leader of the world’s number one software company from 2000 to 2014, discussed Google’s domination in Europe in interviews with Bloomberg and CNBC, explaining that this was exactly what he thought when he was Microsoft CEO.
“I still believe that the … power of Google in Europe is out of control,” he said. “I think they should be regulated to permit competition. I thought that when I worked at Microsoft; I still believe it. Microsoft has backed off from that. That’s new leadership’s perspective. But I absolutely think there’s a problem, and the Europeans were on to an appropriate form of regulation.”
Ballmer no longer a Twitter shareholder
Ballmer also revealed that he recently sold his shares in Twitter, choosing instead to keep his Microsoft stock. The reason for selling his Twitter stake pretty much comes down to Ballmer’s long-term focus, as he thinks he doesn’t have the time to be part of the investing business.
He praised Twitter in the interview, adding that he’s certain the social network will continue to grow in the coming years.
“I sold really because I decided investing money is not my business,” Ballmer said. “I'm in index funds, I'm in Microsoft — it keeps my life simpler. I think Twitter will succeed and it will move forward, but I simplified my life and I got out at a very nice price.”
Ballmer is currently the owner of NBA team Los Angeles Clippers and is one of the largest individual shareholders at Microsoft. He purchased Twitter shares a few years ago at about $25 per share and sold them at approximately $35 a share.