Posted on 01/18/2006 11:56:56 AM PST by HAL9000
Clinton in Redmond..Is Ballmer Stepping Aside
There are some rumors circulating that Steve Ballmer is about to step aside at Microsoft as its day to day operations head to make room for another president. Ken and I reported on this on KenRadio's World Technology Roundup earlier today.
Bill Clinton.
Here's what I know. Sources near Microsoft headquarters report that over the past few months the ex cigar smoking prexy has made trips to Microsoft headquarters and has been interviewing for the top slot as the company looks at ways to transform themselves for the future. Given the global implications of technology, having a leader that is an ex country president would be massive.
Why now? Well Ballmer has driven the company. His hard charging sales leadership style helped Microsoft during a time when that approach was needed. But Microsoft folks I've talked to admit those days are over and a new style is needed to be more change oriented.
Given Clinton's global stature and statesman status just imagine the possibilities of what that would mean to Microsoft.
But this is only a rumor now, and no one at Microsoft would dare to comment on this one, so why bother asking...if true, you can say you read it here first.
UPDATE--Some readers and other sources say Bill's visits to Redmond have had more to do with being on the Microsoft board than anything else...stay tuned.
AAUUGGHH!
Little Satan inviting Great Satan (to borrow a term from our Iranian friends).
LOL! I say no way is this gonna happen.
Well at least the folks who constantly pull gore out on apple.
You do realize if this does happen, we own B2K. :-)
Clinton could be on Microsoft's board of directors by next week. The suspension of Clinton's law license ends tomorrow. Gates can fly back from Davos and make the announcement during Microsoft's earnings release on Jan. 26th.
This "rumor" is so far out on the fringe, you do realize?
Sounds like MSFT will be going the way of Jim McDougal & Web Hubble
It's certainly good for a laugh. Hasn't MS always promoted from within?
The thing that militates against this rumor is that Gilmartin chairs the nominations committee.
Form 8-K for MICROSOFT CORP20-Jan-2006
Entry into Material Agreement
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On January 16, 2006, the Board of Directors modified the compensation arrangements for non-management directors. The new structure has the following components:
• A total annual retainer of $200,000 per year with approximately $120,000 of the retainer provided in the form of an award of stock under the Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors.
• Annual retainer of $10,000 for chairs of Board committees.
• Annual retainer of $10,000 for members of the Audit Committee.
• Reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in connection with board-related activities.
Through an amendment to the Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board of Directors increased the shareholding guideline for directors to three times the base annual retainer amount.
The Board of Directors also approved the terms of a deferred compensation plan that will allow non-management directors to elect to defer receipt of part or all of their annual equity retainer and to defer and convert to equity part or all of their annual cash retainer.
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