Microsoft Highlights Strong Financial Performance at Annual Shareholder Meeting



Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates speaks about the future of technology at Microsoft’s Annual Shareholder Meeting.

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 13, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today held its annual shareholder meeting, where Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer discussed the company’s plans to drive continued long-term growth and shareholder value. Ballmer highlighted the positive customer momentum behind the company’s pipeline of product advancements, noting the strong response to Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system, as well as new product offerings such as the updated Windows Live Services and “Halo 3” and upcoming releases such as Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server. Furthermore, new models of Zune digital music players became available in stores today.

Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, outlined how Microsoft’s strategy of investing in innovation allows it to shape the future of technology. He specifically cited advances in unified communications and collaboration, the combination of software on client devices and services delivered via the Internet, and the emergence of natural user interfaces such as speech and touch as having the potential to fundamentally transform how people interact with technology.

“Last year, we significantly ramped up our growth by executing well and continuing our strategy of investing broadly in innovation,” Ballmer said. “This year and beyond, we see tremendous opportunities for more strong growth and solid financial returns both from our current businesses and through expansion into new markets.”

At the annual shareholder meeting, the following proposals were acted on by the company’s shareholders:

  • Elected 10 directors to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders

  • Ratified the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the company’s independent auditor for fiscal year 2008

  • Voted down two shareholder proposals

All actions were taken with a vote of over 95 percent.



Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showcases the new Zune music device at Microsoft’s Annual Shareholder Meeting.

Microsoft’s board of directors consists of William H. Gates, Microsoft chairman; Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer; James I. Cash Jr., Ph.D., former James E. Robison professor of business administration at Harvard Business School; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; Raymond V. Gilmartin, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Merck & Co. Inc.; Reed Hastings, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Netflix Inc.; David F. Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; Charles H. Noski, former vice chairman of AT&T Corp.; Dr. Helmut Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG; and Jon A. Shirley, former president and chief operating officer of Microsoft. Eight of the 10 board members are independent, consistent with the requirement in the company’s governance guidelines that a majority be independent.

The board has five committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Finance Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, and an Antitrust Compliance Committee. Under the committee structure, the Audit Committee members are Cash, Dublon, and Noski (chairperson). The Compensation Committee members are Cash, Dublon (chairperson) and Panke. The Finance Committee members are Dublon, Hastings, Marquardt, Noski and Shirley (chairperson). The Governance and Nominating Committee members are:

Gilmartin (chairperson) and Marquardt. The Antitrust Compliance Committee members are Cash (chairperson), Gilmartin and Panke.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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