Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer says he will retire after more than a decade at the helm of Microsoft.
And some Microsoft fans and investors are drawing parallels to Christian Bale’s departure as Batman.
How dos that make any sense?
From the looks of it, fans of the Batman franchise are outraged that Ben Affleck has been cast as the new Batman. With their beloved Bale seemingly gone forever at the caped crusader, concerns are mounting that Affleck will do to the Batman franchise what George Clooney almost did – kill it.
In the big picture, this discussion is about making a good choice to replace someone with big shoes to fill. While Christian Bale’s shoes may be too big for Affleck to fill, concerns are mounting that there isn’t yet an obvious successor at Microsoft to take over the reigns for Ballmer, who is bolting within the next twelve months.
Mr. Ballmer, 57, plans to step down within the next 12 months, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said today in a statement. Microsoft’s lead independent director, John Thompson, will lead the search for his successor, heading a committee that will also include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer told employees in a written note, according to AdAge. “My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our transformation to a devices and services company focused on empowering customers in the activities they value most. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”
Will Microsoft have a tough time replacing Steve Ballmer? Please weigh in with a thought or comment below.
