Microsoft has announced that LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is stepping down from its board of directors. Hoffman, 58, shared his decision earlier this week not to run for reelection, ending nearly a decade of service with the tech giant.
Background of Hoffman's tenure
Reid Hoffman originally joined the Microsoft board in 2016 following the tech giant's $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn. During his tenure, he witnessed major milestones, including Microsoft’s landmark $1 billion investment in OpenAI in 2019 and a $650 million deal to bring workers from his other AI venture, Inflection AI, into Microsoft.
Official statement from Microsoft
“His decision not to stand for re-election is not as a result of any disagreement with management on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices,” Microsoft said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Reid Hoffman will remain in his role until Microsoft's annual shareholder meeting at the end of the year, at which point he plans to shift his focus entirely to his new artificial intelligence healthcare startup, Manas (also referred to as Manus).
Details from the SEC filing
“On June 2, 2026, Reid Hoffman, a member of the Board of Directors of Microsoft Corporation (the “Company”) since 2017, informed the Company of his decision not to stand for re-election at the Company’s 2026 annual shareholder meeting (the “Annual Meeting”). Mr. Hoffman will continue to serve as a director until the Annual Meeting. His decision not to stand for re-election is not as a result of any disagreement with management on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices. The Company thanks Mr. Hoffman for his contributions during his tenure as a director.”
Reid Hoffman’s refocusing on Manas AI
Reid Hoffman is currently focusing his energy on Manas, an AI-native biopharmaceutical and cancer drug discovery company that he co-founded and chairs. In a recent episode of his "Possible" podcast alongside Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Hoffman explained that rapid progress at the startup is the catalyst for him to transition back into "founder mode".
Backed by General Catalyst, Manas is led by CEO Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, a Pulitzer Prize-winning physician and author of The Emperor of All Maladies. Hoffman believes the company is advancing machine intelligence to a level he calls “Move 37” AI, which aims to beat human creativity in chemistry to combat cancer.
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