Bye bye to Ballmer

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Berit Anderson

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Berit Anderson Feb 6, 2018

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Bye bye to Ballmer</h1>
                <h2><p>Microsoft announced today that CEO Steve Ballmer will be retiring in the next twelve months and that the company's Board of Directors has appointed a special committee to find his replacement. “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/berit-anderson-crosscut-com/">Berit Anderson</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Microsoft announced today that CEO Steve Ballmer will be retiring in the next twelve months and that the company's Board of Directors has appointed a special committee to find his replacement. “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said in a press release. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team."Ballmer's tenure as Microsoft CEO has been marked by a series of arguably flopped copy cat attempts at competing in the services field: The Windows phone platform<a href="http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2013/07/29/android-top-us-smartphone-platform-with-52-of-sales-windows-phone-charts-highest-growth-kantar/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org"> holds just 4 percent of market share</a> and Windows 8 sales have been anemic at best. A poorly conceived and proprietary Xbox One was actually booed out of gamer conference EVO this year. The company is in the midst of a restructure and Windows Phone has inched up since last year, but to be successful, Ballmer's successor will have to nail the mobile OS game — creating not just a phone, but a personal assistant users can't live without. Crosscut's Drew Atkins will have more on the transition later today, but for now here's a vintage video of the type of Ballmer theatrics that will be sorely missed.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="157" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wvsboPUjrGc" width="250"></iframe></figure>
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Microsoft announced today that CEO Steve Ballmer will be retiring in the next twelve months and that the company's Board of Directors has appointed a special committee to find his replacement. “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said in a press release. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team."Ballmer's tenure as Microsoft CEO has been marked by a series of arguably flopped copy cat attempts at competing in the services field: The Windows phone platform holds just 4 percent of market share and Windows 8 sales have been anemic at best. A poorly conceived and proprietary Xbox One was actually booed out of gamer conference EVO this year. The company is in the midst of a restructure and Windows Phone has inched up since last year, but to be successful, Ballmer's successor will have to nail the mobile OS game — creating not just a phone, but a personal assistant users can't live without. Crosscut's Drew Atkins will have more on the transition later today, but for now here's a vintage video of the type of Ballmer theatrics that will be sorely missed.

Berit Anderson

By Berit Anderson

Berit Anderson was Managing Editor at Crosscut, following tech, culture, media and politics. She founded Crosscut's Community Idea Lab.   Previously community manager of the Tribune Company’

Berit Anderson was Managing Editor at Crosscut, following tech, culture, media and politics. She founded Crosscut's Community Idea Lab.   Previously community manager of the Tribune Company’