After leading the world’s largest software company, Microosft, for the last thirteen years, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has finally said goodbye to the company. Ballmer, at his last companywide meeting on Thursday, delivered his final emotional farewell speech in front of thousands of Microsoft employees.
The CEO who announced his retirement back in August, received a standing ovation from his 13,000 Microsoft staff after talking about the company’s present and future prospects and about the company’s three-front war rivals including Google, Amazon and Apple at the employee only meeting held at Seattle’s KeyArena stadium.
He did not forget to take a swipe at the company’s rivals saying that Apple is all interested in being ‘fashionable’, Amazon is all about being ‘cheap’, Google is all about ‘knowing more’, but Microsoft is all about “doing more”.
On the verge of tears, the outgoing CEO, stressed on the belief he has on his staff and the company’s mission. “We’ve been a great company for years. We will be a great company for many more years,” he said addressing the staff. “Only our company and a handful of others are poised to write the future,” and “We’re going to think big, we’re going to bet big”, he added.
He departed closing his speech with Michael Jackson’s song “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” – the track which was played at Microsoft’s first employee meeting held in 1983, which was then followed by the track “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from “Dirty Dancing”.
