With yesterday's announcement that Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates plans to move away from his day-to-day duties by July 2008, analysts said change is in the air for the company. That's because Gates has for so long played such a major role at the company he founded in 1975 that any transformation in his role is bound to have an effect, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group in San Jose.
"Microsoft is so much Bill Gates in terms of corporate personality," Enderle said. "You will see that starting to change [because] he represented such a big footprint. ...You can't help but see some level of change. I don't think there is anyone who can replace Gates. He is larger than life."
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Bill Gates Video on Channel 9
Bill Gates has announced that he will stepping down as Microsoft's chief software architect in another two years (July 2008), though he plans to continue as chairman "indefinitely" -- assuming the board of directors keeps electing him. In his announcement speech, he said: "I want to have that association [with Microsoft] for my entire life." Later, in the Q&A, he confirmed: "I'm not leaving Microsoft."
Video: Channel9 Cast View: Full Article @ The Guardian via Bink View: Bill Gates Leaving Daily Role at Microsoft, Remains Chairman posted earlier here @ Neowin
