Shirley severs Microsoft ties

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 19 June 2008 03:38

IT People - People

Microsoft veteran Jon Shirley will step down from the company's board later this year.

Shirley, previously president and chief operating officer of Microsoft, retired from employment in 1990 but remained on the board.

By the time he departs in November 2008 he will have spent 25 years as a  Microsoft director. He joined the company in August 1983 after a 25 year career at Tandy Corporation, culminating in the role of vice president computer merchandising.

"Having turned 70 years old this year, I'm at a point in my life where I want to reduce my professional commitments and allow more time pursuing some of my personal interests," Shirley said.

For once, 'pursuing other interests' does not carry a hint that the parties are separating on other than the best of terms. If you can't pursue your personal interests when you reach the age of 70, when are you going to?

Shirley's departure can be seen as another step in the changing of the guard at Microsoft.

Few of Microsoft's senior executives have been with the company since the early 1980s, the exceptions being CEO Steve Ballmer, president Jeff Raikes and Jean-Philippe Courtios, president of Microsoft International. Only Bill Gates, Ballmer, and venture capitalist David Marquardt have served on the board since that time.