Microsoft Investors Call For Bill Gates To Step Down As Chairman

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Investors Call For Bill Gates To Step Down As Chairman

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday October 2, 2013 @04:10AM from the pour-some-gasoline-on-it dept.

rjmarvin writes "Now that Ballmer is on his way out, flak for Microsoft's middling stock prices and lagging mobile innovation is starting to land on Bill Gates himself. Three of the company's top 20 investors are lobbying the Board of Directors, pressing Gates to step down as chairman. The stockholders believe his presence would handcuff the next CEO's ability to re-make the company with new strategies and sweeping changes. They also think Gates wields a disproportionate amount of power relative to his financial stake and day-to-day activity within the company. No word yet from Gates or the board on this internal strife."

28 of 218 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Bill Gates' response: by themushroom · 2013-10-02 04:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

"Yeah, about that... Go fuck yourself. Now if you don't mind, I have to go save thousands of African kids from getting malaria. Back at 3pm"

--
Laughter is the Spackle of the Soul.
1. Re:Bill Gates' response: by KiloByte · 2013-10-02 04:28 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  or to have them ritually mutilated.
  
  --
  The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
2. Re: Bill Gates' response: by Mabhatter · 2013-10-02 04:53 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  It's not about plotters, he doesn't HOLD A STAKE in the company that deserves as much power as he holds. They are correct to replace Gates before even looking at Balmer's replacement as Gates hasn't held Balmer's feet to the fire nearly hard enough in the last 7-10 years.
3. Re: Bill Gates' response: by gstoddart · 2013-10-02 05:09 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Exactly. Bill owns about 4.5% of the stock ... the people trying to oust him control about 5%.
  Bill Gates is essentially a minority shareholder, but exercises clout like he still owns half the company.
  And maybe people are thinking that if Ballmer is going, this is a perfect time to put the company in the hands of someone beholden to the shareholders, instead of Bill Gates. And, long term, it's hard to argue with that.
  
  --
  Lost at C:>. Found at C.
4. Re: Bill Gates' response: by Anonymous Coward · 2013-10-02 05:10 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Vampires beware!
5. Re: Bill Gates' response: by lgw · 2013-10-02 05:36 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Bill will prevent a new CEO that "remakes" the company via massive layoffs to save costs - which has never once worked to "turn around" a software company, but no one ever seems to learn that. Presumably the activist board members want just that, not realizing it would kill the company in a few years, or perhaps not caring (hey, what's 100k jobs gone if I can boost the stock 10% before it crashes - we'll know when to exit). Heck, even as an old school /.er I find it hard to root for potlatch on that scale.
  Bill had a pretty good track record for the shareholders during his tenure - all the same things than made /. create it's own special icon for him. Makes me wonder if the heart of the dispute is as cynical as the above, or something more interesting.
  [ BTW: If you're new to the game: "synergy" means "layoffs" and "turnaround CEO" means "lay off most everyone". Look for those terms in a merger near you (and run). ]
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
6. Re: Bill Gates' response: by gstoddart · 2013-10-02 05:47 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  thinking that 'shareholders' will drive MS into anything but the ground is really delusional
  As opposed to what they're doing now, with a series of products nobody is buying and for which they're taking huge write downs? Or that hardware makers are informing Microsoft they'll no longer make products for?
  It's hard not to think Microsoft isn't being driven in to the ground now.
  
  Or, are you just being sneaky?
  Not at all. I'm saying welcome to the stock market where shareholder value seems to be what drives everything, and long-term planning be damned.
  If you don't want a bunch of stock owners yelling about how badly you're doing ... don't go public.
  
  --
  Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Or prevent them... by Antiocheian · 2013-10-02 04:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

...from looting Microsoft.
1. Re:Or prevent them... by gl4ss · 2013-10-02 04:23 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  yeah.. just put elop as the chairman, see how it goes.
  guaranteed that within 2 years he has sold the company to oracle(if you use stupid counting system then windows is a "burning platform" that needs to be ditched asap..).
  thing with gates is that he has so much money he isn't tempted to butcher the company for some cash. put someone else in charge with even lesser share of the company and no personal interest in the company and he'll start looking for how to extract cash for himself.. and that actually screws the shareholders(common shareholders) a lot more.
  
  --
  world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
2. Re:Or prevent them... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2013-10-02 04:32 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I'm pretty sure that large-scale shareholders consider small scale shareholders to be sort of like krill. Numerous; but not really worth much except to be filtered out and devoured in numbers large enough to be tasty.
3. Re:Or prevent them... by fahrbot-bot · 2013-10-02 05:05 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  I'm pretty sure that large-scale shareholders consider small scale shareholders to be sort of like krill. Numerous; but not really worth much except to be filtered out and devoured in numbers large enough to be tasty.
  They're also a good source of Omega-3s...
  
  --
  It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
4. Re:Or prevent them... by occasional_dabbler · 2013-10-02 08:59 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Well, you're clearly from the US else you would realize the rest of the World is really starting to like what Elop has done with Nokia
  As a result, he is odds-on favourite to become the new CEO
  That said, your second point is exactly right. It's in nobody's interests (except these three shareholders) to put Microsoft in the hands of these asset stripping vampires.
  
  --
  "Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs," I said. "we have a protractor"
Misleading Headline by Frosty+Piss · 2013-10-02 04:16 · Score: 4, Informative

The headline is a bit misleading.
THREE of 20 of the top investers have demanded Gates step down.
Non-news.

--
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
1. Re:Misleading Headline by Frosty+Piss · 2013-10-02 04:48 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Um ya... actually the words "Microsoft Investors" in the title imply any integer above 1.
  Yes, well, the headline implies more than a few.
  Actually, *I* own 100 shares. So if *I* as an "investor" seek Gates' removal, does that warrant a story at Slashdot?
  The entire group of 20 investors onws ONLY 0.5% more than Gates holds all by himself. So what percentage do you think 3 of those 20 owns?
  The headline *IS* misleading.
  
  --
  If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
Power grab by phantomfive · 2013-10-02 04:17 · Score: 5, Interesting

These are people who want power for themselves. It's not because they believe Gates does a poor job.

When the investors take over the company, beware. This is what happened to HP.

--
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
1. Re:Power grab by Anonymous Coward · 2013-10-02 04:34 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  There's somethign to be said for keeping the founder at the helm but in the case of Microsoft I do believe Gates is part of the problem. I worked there from the mid-90's to the mid-2000's and a lot of the cultural problems started with Gates. They only became apparent with Ballmer because exponential growth came to a halt but they were there. Not to mention that without Gates' support Ballmer would never have lasted as long as he did.
2. Re:Power grab by armahillo · 2013-10-02 04:38 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Yeah, just imagine... they'd put profits over quality and the product would start to suck and its advertising would feel really patronizing, with lots of glitzy flash but little substance.
  Man, I can't even imagine a world where Microsoft operated that way.
A titular role only? by metrix007 · 2013-10-02 04:20 · Score: 3, Interesting

Bill Gates is chairman in name only, is he not?
This would seem fitting since it is the company that be he built....it's kind of shitty to force people out of the thing they made.
Alternatively, perhaps Bill Gates will be to Microsoft as the Schwartzes were to Grey Matter...

--
If you ignore ACs because they are anonymous - you're an idiot.
Fools by twocows · 2013-10-02 04:20 · Score: 4, Interesting

As much as I disagree with his business tactics over the years, Gates is a freaking genius. One read of the "Internet Tidal Wave" memo, which was written years ago and was correct about 90% of its predictions, should tell you that. Gates was one of the primary reasons, if not the only reason, Microsoft was successful to begin with. These three people are complete fools and ought to be off with Ballmer.
1. Re:Fools by dkleinsc · 2013-10-02 05:38 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  As much as I disagree with his business tactics over the years, Gates is a freaking genius.
  I'm not sure whether he's a genius, but I had a lot more respect for him once I read this, which is Joel Spolsky's first-hand account of working for the man. He wasn't necessarily a genius, but he was a very effective combination of ruthless businessman and smart technical guy.
  
  --
  I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
All 3 are money runners. by Anonymous Coward · 2013-10-02 04:24 · Score: 5, Insightful

All of the top 3 are hedge fund money runners.
They are NOT interested in Microsoft's long term health, but in having someone at the top to give their 40%+ return in a year and who the fuck cares what happens after that. If the money runners had their way, Apple would have been liquidated in '98.
That's what these people are all about.
They are not techies. They are Wall Street scum bags.
MS is in the "Cash Cow" phase of its life. It will end. What they need is a 'visionary' who is NOT tied to Wall Street (a la Jobs) but never the less, knows the roots and corporate culture of MS - Gates is the ONLY one who can make the next leader taken seriously.
Re:Killing the goose that lays the golden egg by SJHillman · 2013-10-02 04:34 · Score: 3, Insightful

Not exactly. Steve Jobs was *the* driving force behind Apple over the last decade or so to the point where the two are almost synonymous. Microsoft, on the other hand, hasn't relied on Bill Gates as the lead visionary and motivator/taskmaster in a long time (and never to the same extent). Jobs was the face of Apple, Gates was/is the face of "don't pick on the nerd, you'll work for his rich ass one day".
Gates interests might not be short term $ by EMG+at+MU · 2013-10-02 04:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

I'm certain they want him to step down because they want to focus on short term profits. Investors have no vision, no desire to better the company, no reason to do anything besides focus on short term profits.
Real headline: Wall Street wants to loot Microsoft by tekrat · 2013-10-02 04:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

It's as simple as that. The 3 hedge fund managers are interested in looting the company's bank account, saddling the company with outrageous debt, and then cutting it up and selling off the pieces. It's the Mitt Romney strategy. Or rather, and more accurately, the standard wall-street tactic. It's why America doesn't make anything anymore, and the greedy bastard 1% fuckers should all be lined up against a wall and executed.

--
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
they are ignoring the REAL POWER at Microsoft by swschrad · 2013-10-02 04:34 · Score: 4, Funny

Clippy is actually running the joint.

--
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
1. Re:they are ignoring the REAL POWER at Microsoft by Anonymous Coward · 2013-10-02 05:32 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  "I see you are trying to run the company, would you like help with that?" -Clippy 2013
2. Re:they are ignoring the REAL POWER at Microsoft by swamp_ig · 2013-10-02 12:13 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  "I see you are trying to ruin the company, would you like help with that" - FTFY
Re: Killing the goose that lays the golden egg by symbolset · 2013-10-02 12:56 · Score: 3, Informative

It takes a visionary painter to invent selling paintings. People will give Gates credit for a lot of things he does not deserve, and I am not one of those. But he did pretty much invent the commercial software market, for good or ill.

--
Help stamp out iliturcy.