Cisco's top manager to become Skype CEO
October 05, 2010 | Author: Adam Levine
(Tony Bates, the new Skype CEO)
Recently, we wrote that Cisco could buy Skype. These rumors appeared since it was found out that Skype and Cisco are conducting negotiations. But probably, it was not Cisco trying to buy Skype, but Skype owners trying to get Cisco's top manager Tony Bates to become Skype's exec. Today, Tony Bates, who was a senior Enterprise VP at Cisco, replaced Josh Silverman as Skype CEO. Most likely, this means that Skype will not be sold to Cisco or any other company and go to IPO to become a public company. (If Cisco was going to buy Skype, it would be logical to appoint CEO after the acquisition). Additionally, this means that Skype's new priority will be the enterprise market, that Bates perfectly knows. That is where the Skype owners are going to make money.
Recently, we wrote that Cisco could buy Skype. These rumors appeared since it was found out that Skype and Cisco are conducting negotiations. But probably, it was not Cisco trying to buy Skype, but Skype owners trying to get Cisco's top manager Tony Bates to become Skype's exec. Today, Tony Bates, who was a senior Enterprise VP at Cisco, replaced Josh Silverman as Skype CEO. Most likely, this means that Skype will not be sold to Cisco or any other company and go to IPO to become a public company. (If Cisco was going to buy Skype, it would be logical to appoint CEO after the acquisition). Additionally, this means that Skype's new priority will be the enterprise market, that Bates perfectly knows. That is where the Skype owners are going to make money.
See also: Top 10 VoIP services