Microsoft's Steve Ballmer said he is not sure how long he will stay on as the director of the company, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Ballmer's career at Microsoft spans nearly 34 years. Earlier this year he stepped down as Microsoft's CEO after holding the position for 14 years. His retention of directorship after relinquishing the CEO's office was seen as controversial, WSJ reported.
Quoting the interview, International Business Times said Ballmer did not want to be seen as lame duck on the company's board as he was much quieter during board meetings after handing over the CEO's reins to his successor Satya Nadella.
"I didn't talk like I did when I was CEO," he said, according to IBT.
According to the WSJ, Ballmer stated, "It really as much as anything depends on how I see rest of my life playing out. He also added that he was looking forward to his first break in many years.
"I have a chance to really think about what to do next," he said.
Ballmer's indication that he might not continue as director was a stark contrast to his first public appearance after stepping down as CEO. At the time, he said that he is not among those who can "play golf all day." "I get to find some new set of things to be passionate about. I'm going to take some time and really figure it out," he reportedly said at Oxford University in Britan, according to the WSJ.
CNET said that Ballmer is second largest shareholder of Microsoft, the company he referred to as his "child".
The WSJ wrote that Ballmer is "the company's second-biggest individual shareholder behind co-founder Bill Gates, with about 4% of Microsoft's stock valued at more than $13 billion. His stake and his history with the company make him an important player no matter his formal role with the company."
