leadership

The post-Jobs Apple is here, like it or not

For those looking for signs of change in a post-Steve Jobs Apple, yesterday was your day.

No, it wasn't a miss on earnings, or a product that was perceived to be disappointingly iterative instead of groundbreaking. Nor was it an ad campaign that just felt a bit off.

The changes came as part of one of the most drastic adjustments to Apple's top management since Jobs stepped down, and at a time when Apple finds itself on the defensive. The company has missed Wall Street's earnings expectations for two straight quarters and it is still smarting after … Read more

Apple reshuffles top brass: iOS chief to leave in 2013

Apple is hitting shuffle on its top management.

The company today announced that it's rejiggering its executive lineup to add extra responsibilities for some, along with the planned exit of iOS software chief Scott Forstall in 2013.

A more immediate departure is John Browett, the head of Apple's retail unit, a move that appears to be sudden given that the company says it's currently seeking a replacement.

Meanwhile, Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi will stay on with expanded roles.

Apple says Forstall will effectively be replaced by Craig Federighi, who will oversee both … Read more

Steven Sinofsky: Microsoft's controversial Mr. Windows 8

Two years ago, Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie was working on a file synchronization technology that would make stashing and grabbing pictures, documents, and music from any device a cinch.

Ozzie, hand-picked by Microsoft co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates to succeed him as the corporate visionary, gathered a team of 50 or so employees to piece together the concept. Something of an industry legend, Ozzie was a co-creator of Lotus Notes, and he joined Microsoft in 2005 after the company bought his startup, Groove Networks. To hear Microsoft insiders tell it, Ozzie was stepping straight into one of the … Read more

Facebook's Sandberg writes book about female leadership

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg wants to impart her leadership knowledge to other women, and to do it she's penning a book called "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sandberg's book will be less about her high-up roles at Facebook and Google and more about encouraging readers to achieve leadership positions. She will share both her personal and professional experiences.

"I wrote 'Lean In' so women can make more informed choices and increase their chances of making it to the top of any field or pursue … Read more

Female Google execs on how to attract more women to the biz

SAN FRANCISCO -- On the eve of the Google I/O Developers Conference, the company's offices here were abuzz with a familiar refrain: the need for more women in the computer science industry.

The Women Techmakers event featured five women from Google's storied ranks talking about recruitment, leadership, gender bias, and of course, why Google is such an enviable place for women to work.

Susan Wojcicki, the senior vice president of advertising, was the 16th Google employee. When she started, she was told she would have a boss to report to.

"I waited for years," she … Read more

At Yahoo, Scott Thompson takes helm as CEO (roundup)

Amid talks of a sale, Yahoo hires PayPal President Scott Thompson to replace fired CEO Carol Bartz. Thompson promises the company will reclaim its tech leadership, but serious challenges await.

Yahoo hiring Thompson may aid Andreessen Horowitz bid Yahoo's new CEO, Scott Thompson, once worked for Andreessen Horowitz partner Jeff Jordan at PayPal. With Jordan working on the venture firm's Yahoo bid, the pair could be reunited. (Posted in Digital Media by Jay Greene ) January 4, 2012 10:15 a.m. PT

New CEO: Yahoo will reclaim its tech leadership As Yahoo's leader, Scott Thompson plans to … Read more

Fortune says Gates might rejoin Microsoft? Not so fast

Bill Gates' chief of staff has shot down a report in Fortune that the iconic leader and philanthropist is contemplating a return to Microsoft.

In an instant message conversation, Larry Cohen said that contrary to a report on Fortune's Web site, Gates is not mulling rejoining Microsoft, though he still does work from time to time with product teams. Cohen previously said the same thing to AllThingsD.

Earlier today, the magazine posted an article on its Web site citing a single anonymous, second-hand source, saying that Gates was contemplating a comeback.

"One prominent chief executive told Fortune he'… Read more

RIM management has to go before it's too late

Research in Motion shares are now trading below book value and the previous argument for not tossing co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie to the curb revolved around disruption.

Here's what Balsillie said June 16 on RIM's fiscal first-quarter earnings conference call:

Mike and I would like to address some of the concerns that have been expressed in the media and analyst community surrounding the executive management structure at RIM and particularly about the joint nature of our leadership. Mike and I have been partners in this business for almost 20 years, and over that time RIM has … Read more

How can Apple replace Steve Jobs' celebrity? It can't.

commentary The future of Apple's executive leadership continues to be of intense focus to onlookers as the company forges ahead without its late co-founder Steve Jobs in the picture.

Apple celebrated Jobs' life yesterday in a private employee tribute filled with executive speeches, live performances by famous musicians, and multi-story banners of Jobs at various points in his life that hung within the complex. If you didn't know it was the inside of Apple's headquarters, the memorial could have easily been mistaken for a rock concert or a rally, in part because it was a little bit … Read more

Bitly gets a new boss

Bitly has raised $14 million in a few years, and shrinks more than 8 billion Web addresses a month. And it's done all that without anyone running the company full time.

Until now. Technology vet Peter Stern, whose last start-up ended up being acquired by Facebook, is Bitly's first official CEO.

He's taking the reins from Betaworks CEO John Borthwick, who helped hatch Bitly as one of his incubator's projects and has overseen it since, while juggling lots of other balls at the same time.

Stern founded Zenbe, an e-mail start-up that Facebook "acqhired" last fall, … Read more