Microsoft’s Zune senior business development manager Dave McLauchlan recently said he is leaving the company to create his own startup. McLauchlan announced his resignation to the public on Twitter. “I have some news to share,” he tweeted. “Last week I offered my resignation to [Microsoft] and my last day is [Friday].” McLauchlan will work on a startup called “Buddy.” The website, located at http://Buddy.com, says the company will help developers “build mobile apps cheaper, faster and easier.” McLauchlan also tweeted that he will still be around in the mobile space. Microsoft killed its Zune mobile media player earlier this year, but Microsoft confirmed it will continue to offer music and video services on Xbox LIVE, Windows PCs and Windows Phone devices.

[Via WinRumors]

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Apple’s iPhone and iPad competitors could benefit with Steve Jobs out as CEO of Apple. “It’s going to give competitors a bit more of a lease of life to go out and compete harder,” Nomura International Plc. technology analyst Richard Windsor told Bloomberg, which noted that Sony and Nokia’s stock prices jumped after Jobs’ announcement. “It’s been thought about, talked about endlessly for the past several years that Tim Cook would probably take over so while you get an initial knee-jerk reaction on the downside, we would probably expect that not to last very long.” Apple will also need to maintain the momentum and market lead that Steve Jobs created as CEO. “If the new management team doesn’t sustain the level of innovation that Steve Jobs spearheaded, it’s going to be an opportunity for the competition in the long term,” Korea Investment Management Co. fund manager Lee Young Seog said. “Still, because of Tim Cook’s competence and the system at Apple, the competitive landscape isn’t likely to change anytime soon.” Steve Jobs announced his resignation from his CEO post on Wednesday and he will be replaced by Tim Cook, who has effectively been running the company while Jobs has been on leave. “Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it,” Jobs said in his resignation letter on Wednesday.

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Steve Jobs has officially resigned as CEO of Apple, and here is his resignation letter to Apple and you, the Apple community.

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

It appears as though Acer founder Stan Shih will get his wish, as news of CEO Gianfranco Lanci’s resignation could mark the start of a much needed overhaul. Shih, who retired from the company in 2004, said on Tuesday that Acer is in need of an overhaul and a shift in focus from being a leader in the PC market to increasing profit margins. On Thursday, Acer announced that Lanci is resigning effective immediately, and company chairman J. T. Wang will step in as interim CEO until the company finds a suitable replacement. “The personal computer remains the core of our business,” said Wang in a statement. “We have built up a strong foundation and will continue to expand within, especially in the commercial PC segment. In addition, we are stepping into the new mobile device market, where we will invest cautiously and aim to become one of the leading players.” Wang continued, “In this new ICT industry, Acer needs a period of time for adjustment. With the spirit of entrepreneurship, we will face new challenges and look to the future with confidence.”

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Clearwire on Thursday announced that CEO and director of the board Bill Morrow will resign effective immediately. Morrow cites personal reasons for his resignation and he will continue to serve as an advisor to the company while the interim CEO, chairman of the board John Stanton, transitions into his new role. “I would like to commend Bill for his tremendous leadership in building the first U.S. 4G network, adding more than 5 million subscribers, and raising funds in a challenging economic environment,” Stanton said in a statement. “Bill built a strong leadership team which enables us to promote Erik Prusch and Hope Cochran to new roles. Together, the entire management team at Clearwire remains focused on delivering value to its customers and shareholders.” Two other top Clearwire executives, Chief Information Officer Kevin Hart and Chief Commercial Officer Mike Sievert, will be leaving the company as well. Hit the break for the full press release.

Clearwire Names Chairman John Stanton as Interim CEO

Kirkland, Wash., March 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR), a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband services in the U.S., today announced changes to the company’s executive leadership team.

John Stanton, chairman of Clearwire’s board of directors and former CEO of Western Wireless and VoiceStream Wireless, has been named CEO of Clearwire on an interim basis, effective immediately. Stanton will continue to serve in his role as board chairman.

Stanton replaces Bill Morrow who has resigned as CEO and as a director of the board, citing personal reasons. Morrow will continue to serve as an advisor to the company during the transition period. The company has appointed a search committee, chaired by board member Dennis Hersch, to lead the hiring process for a new CEO.

“I would like to commend Bill for his tremendous leadership in building the first U.S. 4G network, adding more than 5 million subscribers, and raising funds in a challenging economic environment,” said John Stanton. “Bill built a strong leadership team which enables us to promote Erik Prusch and Hope Cochran to new roles. Together, the entire management team at Clearwire remains focused on delivering value to its customers and shareholders.”

Other Executive Appointments

As part of today’s announcement, Erik Prusch, Clearwire’s CFO, has been promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer (COO). In this position, Prusch will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations, including wholesale and retail sales, marketing, customer service, supply chain, human resources, IT and network operations. In addition, Hope Cochran, Clearwire’s senior vice president and treasurer, has been promoted to the position of CFO. Cochran will be responsible for all of the company’s financial and investor related functions, including overseeing Clearwire’s ongoing fundraising efforts.

The company also announced that Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer, and Kevin Hart, CIO, are both leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Both Sievert and Hart will remain with the company for a transition period. “We thank Mike and Kevin for their service and contributions during an incredible period of growth for Clearwire, and we wish them continued success in the future,” said Stanton.

Today’s changes in executive leadership are not expected to impact the company’s progress on an agreement with Sprint to resolve wholesale pricing disputes. Clearwire believes that an agreement with Sprint is imminent.

Stanton has held numerous leadership positions during his career in the wireless industry. He currently serves as chairman of the board of Trilogy Partnerships including Trilogy International Partners which operates wireless systems in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bolivia and New Zealand. Stanton served as chairman and CEO of Western Wireless Corporation from 1992 until its acquisition by ALLTEL Corporation in 2005. From 1994 to 2003, Stanton served as chairman and CEO of VoiceStream Wireless Corporation, which was sold to Deutsche Telecom and became T-Mobile USA.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that three sprint executives — Dan Hesse, Keith Cowan, and Steven Elfman — have resigned from WiMAX network-operator Clearwire’s board. Sprint informed the WSJ that they would appoint “independent successor directors” within the next few months; Sprint has named its general counsel, Charles Wunsch, as an observer in the meantime. Clearwire writes that the resignations are due to “recent changes in antitrust laws,” but also admit that the move could provide the company with “added flexibility” in pursuing additional funding. Sprint is the majority owner of Clearwire, holding a 54% position.

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This is not how you want to start your weekend. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that HP CEO Mark Hurd has resigned, effective immediately, due to sexual-harassment allegations. In a statement, Mr. Hurd said: “As the investigation progressed, I realized there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity that I have espoused at HP and which have guided me throughout my career.” HP said that the former CEO did not violate the company’s sexual-harassment policy, but they did find instances were he violated HP’s “Standards of Business Conduct.” Chief Financial Officer Cathie Lesjak will assume the roll of interim CEO. Hurd had been with HP for the past five years.

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A popular topic of discussion lately in every corner of the Web has been Eric Schmidt’s position on Apple’s Board of Directors and the many possible conflicts it now presents. While opinions have varied, most take the stance that Google’s business has begun to overlap with Apple’s in too many key areas and as such, Schmidt’s role with the company is no longer appropriate. Well, the debate is over. Apparently, Google’s CEO and the Cupertino crew finally came to their senses. Steve “Thanks for Picking Our Brains and then Trying to Eat Our Lunch” Jobs had this to say:

Eric has been an excellent Board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful. Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric’s effectiveness as an Apple Board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest. Therefore, we have mutually decided that now is the right time for Eric to resign his position on Apple’s Board.

So long Dr. S, you will be missed — unless Chrome OS somehow manages to beat the odds and outreach OS X’s market share at some point down the road. Then we imagine pretty much no one at Apple will miss you.

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What a long strange trip it’s been. Mark this one as done folks – Yahoo has officially announced that Jerry Yang will step down as CEO of Yahoo. Yang has been at the helm of what can only be described as a sinking ship since June of 2007. His moves have been made under a microscope, his decisions have been questioned by just about everyone with a keyboard and he has been the subject of much criticism, to say the least. What’s done is done though and suffice it to say we definitely do not envy whoever the appropriately-named executive head hunting firm Heidrick & Struggles finds as Yang’s replacement. He or she will inherit a mess of epic proportions as Yahoo struggles to stay afloat and no doubt begins begging Microsoft, even more than Yang did, to come back to the bargaining table. As for Yang, he will return to his prior role as Chief Yahoo and will still sit on the board of directors. If Yang is still with the company in six months we’ll be truly amazed. Hit the jump for Yang’s full memo sent today to all Yahoo employees.

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To: all yahoos
Fr: Jerry
Subject: update

yahoos -

i wanted to address all of you on the news we’ve just announced. the board of directors and I have agreed to initiate a succession process for the ceo role of yahoo!. roy bostock, our chairman of the board, is leading the effort to identify and assess potential candidates for consideration by the full board. the board will be evaluating and considering both internal and external candidates and has retained heidrick and struggles to help in this effort.

i will be participating in the search for my successor, and i will continue as ceo until the board selects a new ceo. once a successor is named, i will return to my previous role as chief yahoo and continue to serve as a director on the board.

last june, i accepted the board’s request that i assume the ceo role to restructure and reposition the company as a whole in order to more effectively meet the fast-changing needs of both users and partners. since taking on the ceo role, i have had an ongoing dialogue with the board about succession timing. thanks in large measure to your tireless efforts, we have created a more open, competitive yahoo! and we believe the time is now right to transition to a new ceo who can take the company to the next level.

despite the external environment we face, the fact remains that yahoo! is now a significantly different company that is stronger in many ways than it was just 18 months ago. this only makes it all the more essential that we manage this opportunity to leverage the progress up to this point as effectively as possible. i strongly believe that having transformed our platform and better aligned costs and revenues, we have a unique window for the right ceo to take ownership over the next wave of mission-critical decisions facing the company.

all of you know that I have always, and will always bleed purple. i will always do what I think is right for this great company. while this step will be an adjustment for all of us, i know it’s the right one. i look forward to updating you on this process as soon as the board has developments to share, and will continue to do everything i can to make yahoo! fulfill its full potential.

thank you,
jerry