Bill Gates is asked to resign from Microsoft

In the middle of Microsoft's new search to replace CEO Steve Ballmer, a minority shareholder of Microsoft asks Bill Gates to step down. This is the first time investors aiming Gates, one of the most respected and influential in the technology industry.

The request filed by 3 of 20 shareholders. Reuters sources did not disclose the exact name of the investors. Gates is the founder and former CEO of Microsoft. He is the largest individual shareholder in Microsoft, about 4.5 percent of the 277 billion shares of the company.

The three investors was worried Gates’ role as chairman will hamper the implementation of the new strategy and he will limit the power of new CEO to make significant changes. They also worry Gates get too long time to spend in one of the highest position in Microsoft.

However, according to a Reuters report, so far there is no indication of the board of directors will consider the proposal of the three investors. Gates has resigned from the CEO of Microsoft and entrust the company led by Steve Ballmer in 2000. Since then, he focuses on Bill Gates & Melinda Gates Foundation, which often do a lot of acts of humanity.

In August 2013, Ballmer says will retire within the next 12 months. Now, Microsoft is looking for a new CEO. Kim Caughey Forrest, senior analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group, argued that now is not the time to ask Gates stepped down from Microsoft. Instead, Gates will have a big role to decide who will be a new Microsoft’s CEO.