Microsoft To Buy Skype For $8.5 Billion - Skype said to be running at a loss at the moment !

CEO Steve Ballmer emphasized the value of Skype integration with Microsoft Lync unified communications, Outlook, consumer products like Xbox, and other online communities.
Microsoft is acquiring Skype for $8.5 billion in cash, a deal Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said will enrich Internet voice and video communications for both consumers and business users.

"Anytime, around the planet, people talk about communications, they talk about Skype," Ballmer said in a news conference Tuesday, noting that Skype has "become a verb" that means to place a voice or video call over the Internet.

Microsoft pledged to continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms, but emphasized the value of integrations with Microsoft Lync unified communications, Outlook, and consumer products like Xbox, Kinect, Xbox Live, and other online communities. Ballmer assured those who might be mistrustful of Microsoft

operating system bias that Skype interoperability is in his company's best interest.
"We obviously love Windows and love Windows Phone, love the Xbox, and we're going to do a lot of work together. But fundamental to the value proposition of communication is being able to reach everybody, whether they happen to be on your device or not," Ballmer said. "The products Skype users know and love today will simply continue to grow and be enhanced."

Microsoft also sees great potential to create new experiences on phones and in living rooms through its consumer initiatives, while strengthening professional communications through integration with Lync and Outlook, Ballmer said. Because people work from home and conduct parts of their personal lives from work, the ability to bridge between commercial and consumer communications also is important, he said. "It enables communication in all of people's lives."




Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft, with Skype CEO Tony Bates as its president, reporting directly to Ballmer. Microsoft said it hoped to obtain all regulatory approvals and close the acquisition by the end of the year.

Rumors of a major acquisition or partnership involving Skype had been circulating for the past week, originally revolving around talks with Google and Facebook, which Reuters reported to be the leading suitors. GigaOm's Om Malik reported Sunday that Microsoft had entered the bidding. But Ballmer said the purchase price was set in mid-April, even though the agreement was only signed Monday night.

Asked at the press conference whether Skype had in fact been courted by other companies, Bates sidestepped the question, referring only to the unsolicited offer from Microsoft that his board ultimately accepted.

Malik, who had previously advocated for a Facebook/Skype combination, blogged that Facebook gets the best of both worlds by having Skype acquired by Microsoft, which is an investor in and partner of Facebook, rather than having to fund an acquisition itself. The deal also keeps Skype out of the hands of Google, a more contentious competitor.

Faisal Hoque, founder of Business Technology Management and author of the forthcoming book The Power of Convergence, said that despite having its own Internet voice and video products, such as those built into Lync, Microsoft benefits from acquiring the Skype brand and technology. "It's the same reason why you use Google versus Bing--it's a much more popular environment," he said. "I think people are more inclined to have both internally and externally focused communications over Skype."

Hewlett-Packard Boss Mark Hurd Quits After Sexual Harassment Inquiry
THE TELEGRAPH: Mark Hurd resigned last night from his post at the helm of Hewlett-Packard (HP) following a sexual harassment investigation.

Mark Hurd, chief executive of Hewlett-Packard. Photo:
Mr Hurd, chairman and chief executive of the world's largest personal computer manufacturer since April 2005, agreed to step down with immediate effect after he was found to have violated the company's own business conduct standards.

The HP probe was sparked following allegations from a former contractor, with whom Mr Hurd admitted he had a "close personal relationship". The company also said that Mr Hurd submitted false expense reports in an effort to conceal the relationship.

Shares in HP fell as much as 10pc on the news in extended after-hours trading, in spite of the company pre-announcing better-than-expected second quarter sales of $30.7bn (£19.3bn). >>> James Quinn | Saturday, August 07, 2010

Outgoing BP Chief: 'Life's Not Fair'
SKY NEWS: The outgoing BP chief executive Tony Hayward says he feels "demonised and vilified" over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as the firm posts one of the biggest corporate losses in history. Joel Hills reports.



No, Tony, life certainly isn't fair when people who screw-up can walk away from a company with millions in the form of a golden parachute, yet others work all their lives, do things well, but walk away with next to nothing. Life certainly isn't fair. You got that right! – © Mark

Le patron de BP quittera son poste en octobre
CYBERPRESSE: Une source officielle a confirmé lundi que le chef de la direction de BP (BP), Tony Hayward, démissionnerait de son poste en octobre pour accepter un emploi avec TNK-BP, une coentreprise de la pétrolière en Russie.

L'image publique de Tony Hayward était devenue étroitement liée aux ratés de BP dans ses efforts pour maîtriser la fuite de pétrole dans le golfe du Mexique, qui a coûté plusieurs millions de dollars en dommages. >>> La Presse Canadienne, Nouvelle-Orléans | Lundi 26 Juillet 2010

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: BP’s Hayward to resign in October: Embattled CEO will take job with company’s joint venture in Russia, official says >>> Harry R. Weber, New Orleans, The Associated Press | Monday, July 26, 2010

BP Blunderer's Golden Goodbye: Hayward Exits with £10m Pension Pot as an American Replaces Him
MAIL ONLINE: The embattled head of BP is on the brink of bailing out today - with a golden parachute to break his fall.

Tony Hayward, who arrived at the company's headquarters in London this morning, will receive a seven-figure payoff and a pension estimated at £584,000 a year.

He will stand down today after three months of abuse left him described as the ‘most hated and clueless man in America’.

The enforced departure of the 53-year-old Briton will top the agenda at a crucial London board meeting today.

He has been widely seen as a ‘dead man walking’ ever since an oil-rig explosion led to the worst-ever environmental disaster in the U.S.

The focus will not be on if he goes but when, and how much it costs. During his 28 years at BP, he has built up a gold-plated £10.8million pension pot which he can start taking at 60.

He is also entitled to a year’s salary, equal to just over £1million.

His departure follows a disastrous series of PR gaffes since 11 died in an explosion on April 20 in the Gulf of Mexico.

One of his most notorious was to admit: ‘I want my life back’, at a time when millions of barrels of oil were gushing into the ocean, wrecking the livelihoods of thousands of Americans.

A few weeks later, his decision to go sailing on his yacht in the Isle of Wight added to suspicions that Mr Hayward was not being suitably contrite. But the level of the fury from America has been extraordinary and relentless despite the fact that BP was not solely responsible for the disaster.

President Obama warned: ‘He wouldn’t be working for me after any of those statements.’

Yesterday a BP spokesman insisted that Mr Hayward, whose family have been the victims of crank phone calls, hate mail and death threats, remains the company’s chief executive.

But his departure is inevitable, and will be the second headline-grabbing exit of a BP chief executive in just three years. In 2007, his predecessor Lord Browne dramatically resigned after admitting lying on oath to a High Court judge. >>> Becky Barrow and Daniel Bates | Monday, July 26, 2010

BP Chief Tony Hayward 'Negotiating Exit Deal'
BBC: BP's chief executive Tony Hayward has been negotiating the terms of his exit, with a formal announcement likely within 24 hours, the BBC has learnt.

Mr Hayward has been widely criticised over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

BBC business editor Robert Peston said it was likely he would be replaced by his US colleague Bob Dudley, now in charge of the clean-up operation.

BP said Mr Hayward "remains our chief executive and has the full support of the board and senior management".

Our correspondent added that while BP had been preparing for a change at the top for some time, the company was waiting until progress had been made on stemming the leak and until it was possible to quantify the financial costs of the disaster.

BP is due to release its results for the second quarter on Tuesday.

It is expected to reveal a provision of up to $30bn (£19bn) for the costs of capping the well, compensation claims and fines to be paid, resulting in a massive quarterly loss.

BP's board is scheduled to meet on Monday ahead of the results.

Mr Hayward has been with the company for 28 years. >>> | Sunday, July 25, 2010