Steve Ballmer steps down from Microsoft board

In this Aug. 18, 2014 file photo, new Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer speaks during a news conference held after the Clippers Fan Festival in Los Angeles. Ballmer is stepping down from Microsoft’s board, bringing to a close 34 years with the software giant. He says he plans to devote more time to his ownership of the Clippers, civic contributions, teaching and study. AP

SAN FRANCISCO – Former Microsoft chief Steven Ballmer on Tuesday said he is stepping down as a member of the software giant’s board of directors.

Ballmer made his decision public a month after his successor, Satya Nadella, announced unprecedented job cuts at the US technology firm as it worked to adapt to a “mobile first, cloud first” world.

“Given my confidence and the multitude of new commitments I am taking on now, I think it would be impractical for me to continue to serve on the board, and it is best for me to move off,” Ballmer said in a publicly posted letter to Nadella. “I bleed Microsoft – have for 34 years and I always will.”

Nadella, in a responding letter posted online, thanked Ballmer for his contributions to Microsoft and said he supported the decision to leave the board.

Ballmer said he would be devoting time to new endeavors that include teaching and the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team he acquired earlier this month. Ballmer paid a record US$2 billion for the Clippers.

Microsoft last month announced its biggest job cuts ever as new chief executive Nadella called for a new focus at the US tech giant while integrating the Nokia phone division.

The company said it would slash 18,000 jobs from its global workforce over the next year, the majority from the Nokia handset unit acquired this year.

Nadella, who became CEO earlier this year, seeks to reinvigorate a company that had been the world’s largest but which has lagged in recent years as Google and Apple have taken leadership of the tech sector.