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Mozilla picks interim CEO as it tries to move past controversy
Previous CEO Brendan Eich lasted just 11 days as head of the Firefox company. He resigned last week amid political backlash; Eich contributed $1,000 to California's controversial Proposition 8, a bill that would've ended the legality of same-sex marriage in California. That bill was eventually struck down by the US Supreme Court, and last week Eich was similarly struck down by uproar to his financial contribution. As of today, Mozilla's appointing Chris Beard to its CEO position (as well as giving him a seat on the company's board). Beard's been with Mozilla for years, and the company says it was exploring the idea of adding him to the board for some time (regardless of recent news, in so many words). Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker doesn't mention Eich or the reasons for his exit in her announcement. "In this time of transition there is no better person to lead us," Baker says of Beard. Given Beard's position is "interim" CEO, it sounds like Mozilla's still on the hunt for a new leader. Let's go right ahead and put this out there now: Any interested parties should be prepared for an especially thorough vetting process. Just a guess. [Image credit: Greylock Partners]
Mozilla CEO steps down due to political backlash
After a slew of criticism and increased scrutiny over his donations to an anti gay-marriage bill in California, Mozilla's newly appointed CEO Brendan Eich has stepped down. The company recently published a blog post that read, "Mozilla prides itself on being held to a different standard and, this past week, we didn't live up to it." This is despite many assertions Eich has made in several interviews in the past week that he would not resign, even though multiple employees have come forward on Twitter and elsewhere asking him to leave. Popular dating site OkCupid also made its opinions clear by refusing Firefox users access to its website for a short period. In an interview with Re/Code, Mozilla Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker said that Eich's ability to lead has been compromised due to the increased scrutiny over the issue. She also told the publication that Eich's decision to resign was his own and not due to any pressure from her or the board. There is currently no leading candidate to replace Eich, though efforts to seek one are underway. Update: Eich has written a post on his blog announcing his departure.
