Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's meetings with Estonian political and business leaders in Tallinn fueled hopes that the company's nerve center could stay in the country that pioneered the telephony program.
"I'm super excited about the Skype-Microsoft deal and very excited about the fantastic team I had a chance to meet and spend time with today here in Tallinn," Ballmer told ETV (Estonian TV)on May 14. when making his whistle stop in Estonia several days after his company announced its acquisition of Skype.
The chairman of Skype's board, Tony Bates, said he was looking forward to the relationship." It's great for the country, it's great for what Skype stands for as a brand ... Steve spent all day here with the team. It's been great for the team to hear just a little about how Microsoft works. And we're just over the moon on the opportunity to work together."
Not much will change for now at the Estonian-based Skype development center, said Skype Estonia CEO Sten Tamkivi,noting that expansion is contingent on whether Estonians can be found for the job.
"It's a question of education and movement of workforce," he said. "Naturally, if there are good people for the job, we will hire them."
Ballmer also met President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who gave the CEO a run-down of some of the other achievements of the Estonian "IT tiger."
"We talked more about how to increase Microsoft's presence here, and talked of other solutions invented in Estonia, such as e-health," said Ilves.
"I'm super excited about the Skype-Microsoft deal and very excited about the fantastic team I had a chance to meet and spend time with today here in Tallinn," Ballmer told ETV (Estonian TV)on May 14. when making his whistle stop in Estonia several days after his company announced its acquisition of Skype.
The chairman of Skype's board, Tony Bates, said he was looking forward to the relationship." It's great for the country, it's great for what Skype stands for as a brand ... Steve spent all day here with the team. It's been great for the team to hear just a little about how Microsoft works. And we're just over the moon on the opportunity to work together."
Not much will change for now at the Estonian-based Skype development center, said Skype Estonia CEO Sten Tamkivi,noting that expansion is contingent on whether Estonians can be found for the job.
"It's a question of education and movement of workforce," he said. "Naturally, if there are good people for the job, we will hire them."
Ballmer also met President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who gave the CEO a run-down of some of the other achievements of the Estonian "IT tiger."
"We talked more about how to increase Microsoft's presence here, and talked of other solutions invented in Estonia, such as e-health," said Ilves.
