LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is leaving Microsoft's board after almost a decade

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, is stepping away from Microsoft's board of directors after nearly ten years. The announcement was made by Microsoft on Friday, detailing that Hoffman, aged 58, notified the board of his decision not to seek reelection on Tuesday. He will continue to serve as a director until the company's annual meeting at the end of the year. Hoffman played a pivotal role in establishing LinkedIn in 2002, transforming it into the premier platform for professionals and recruiters. In 2016, he sold LinkedIn to Microsoft for an impressive $27 billion, subsequently joining Microsoft's board in early 2017. He has also been a significant supporter of OpenAI since its inception in 2015, contributing as a donor when it was still a nonprofit organization. As Microsoft deepened its partnership with OpenAI through substantial investments, Hoffman resigned from the OpenAI board earlier this year, citing his departure as a means to alleviate any potential conflicts of interest regarding both OpenAI and his investments in Greylock portfolio companies. Currently, Hoffman is focusing on his latest venture, Manas, which he describes as an "AI-native biopharmaceutical company." In a recent podcast with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Hoffman expressed his desire to transition into a founder role, indicating that the end of the year marks a pivotal change for him. In addition to his work with Manas, Hoffman co-founded the AI startup Inflection alongside Mustafa Suleyman, who is now the CEO of Microsoft AI, focusing on generative AI model development. Reports suggest that in 2024, Suleyman and other Inflection team members will be joining Microsoft. Hoffman's recent activities have not been without controversy; earlier this year, communications between him and financier Jeffrey Epstein surfaced, leading to public scrutiny. Following this, Hoffman issued an apology for his association with Epstein. Additionally, Hoffman has been a notable contributor to Democratic campaigns and is currently under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department regarding his financial support for E. Jean Carroll's legal battles against former President Donald Trump. Hoffman has publicly stated that the investigation stems from his support of Carroll's successful lawsuit, where a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault. Before embarking on his journey with LinkedIn, Hoffman served as executive vice president at PayPal and has since emerged as a prominent venture capitalist with Greylock since 2009.