Gates and Ballmer get pay "cut"

THE GRAND POOBAHS of the world's largest software giant, Microsoft, have taken home much less cash than in previous years.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Sir William Gates III and Steve Ballmer might awarded themselves slight pay rises last year, but they didn't make nearly as much from their executive bonuses.

The pair received $616,667 in salary and a $350,000 bonus. In the previous fiscal year, the two executives received a salary of $600,000 and a bonus of $400,000.

Gates is planning to step back from his Vole work next year so he can spend more time with his philanthropy. Even if his salary does take a cut he still owns 9.73 per cent of Microsoft stock. This percentage has gone up from 9.55 per cent a year earlier.

Ballmer owns a lot more Microsoft stock than he did last year. In 2005 he had only 3.85 per cent and now he owns 4.15 per cent. Sounds like both are setting themselves up for a cosy retirement, or at the very least, a bucket shop holiday to somewhere hot.

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