Steve Ballmer has stepped down from the Microsoft board

Microsoft’s previous CEO, Steve Ballmer, has stepped down from the company’s board. Ballmer announced last year that he would retire as CEO as soon as a replacement was found. After several months, the board landed on Satya Nadella, who officially took over in February. But Ballmer kept his seat on the board after retiring. In an open letter to Nadella, which you can read below, Ballmer said he is leaving the board to concentrate on other activities like his new ownership of the LA Clippers. Ballmer told the LA Times that he’ll also be teaching a class at USC’s Marshall School of Business.

Good news for new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella: You won’t have to deal with former CEO Steve Ballmer watching your every move. Microsoft on Tuesday announced that the frequently combustible Ballmer would be stepping down from his post as one of Microsoft’s board of directors. In a letter written to Nadella, Ballmer said that given all the commitments that he’s about to take on — including his new ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise, civic engagements and even teaching opportunities — he felt it would be best to resign as a board member at Microsoft. He also expressed confidence in Nadella’s “mobile first, cloud first” strategy and said he thought it was the right direction to take the company in the future. “I bleed Microsoft — have for 34 years and I always will,” Ballmer wrote. “I continue to love discussing the company’s future. I love trying new products and sending feedback. I love reading about what is going on at the company. Count on me to keep ideas and inputs flowing. The company will move to higher heights. I will be proud, and I will benefit through my share ownership.”