Outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave an impassioned, tearful goodbye this week in his last employee-wide meeting atop the company he’s led since 2000.
“I just want to enjoy this for a minute,” Ballmer said in video obtained by The Verge, scanning the crowd, at times sighing and choking up.
The always-animated Ballmer announced last month he’s stepping down as CEO within 12 months and a search for his successor is under way.
“Microsoft is like a fourth child to me,” he told employees, his voice catching, before explaining to the crowd that he wanted his send-off to be to the tune of one of his favorite songs: “Time of my life,” from the movie “Dirty Dancing.”
“You’ve made this the time of my life,” Ballmer said.