Steve Ballmer leaves the ship to dock. Microsoft boss leaves a company in excellent health on its last financial year ends in June, it still showed a profit of $ 22 billion for a turnover of 78 billion. Thanks to the windfall generated by the Windows operating system and the global leader in desktop publishing software Office remains a dominant industry, almost 40 years after its founding actor. But Captain Ballmer failed to draw the new road that would have ensured the long-term future of Microsoft for decades.
Since he took over the company in 2008, during the retirement of Bill Gates, the boss has often been criticized. Marketing man, outstanding seller formed school Procter & Gamble, the giant fiery temperament has kept the business base that has ensured prosperity group Redmond. But he lacked the technology vision that would allow Microsoft to continue to win in the new digital era. Why reinvent when everything goes wellbrilliant financial health of Microsoft has been the biggest problem of Steve Ballmer. Why reinvent the risk of breaking the most formidable cash machine. But suddenly, the giant has never managed to make his mark on the web, has left overwhelmed by the social networking phenomenon and missed the big bend of the mobile Internet. More seriously, the latest version of its flagship program, Windows 8 does not meet expectations and the group had € 900 million provision to cover its obvious failure in the world of tablet computers.
Steve Ballmer made the decision that the market expected: he bows. Bill Gates, his friend and support has certainly weighed in the decision, resigned. Chairman of the Board and principal shareholder of the group, it will be up to him to find a new boss at Microsoft. Unless he is trying to resume the service, as did, a few years ago, his best enemy, Steve Jobs.
Gilles Fontaine