Second Life founder to step down

The man who founded Second Life back in 1999 will retire from his short-lived role as interim CEO, despite the search for a permanent replacement not having concluded.

Philip Rosedale said in a statement the firm was “ready to start the search for a new CEO”. He confirmed he would be leaving day-to-day management of Linden Lab, partly to free up more time on his new company, Love Machine.

The news comes four months after Mark Kingdon left the company as CEO.

In the intervening months, Linden Labs was subject of widespread speculation that it was to be bought by Microsoft – rumours which have, despite still spreading across Twitter even today, have failed to materialise.

Develop understands that Linden Lab had quietly closed its UK offices in Brighton back in June, when the firm cut an estimated thirty per cent of its global workforce.

Bob Komin will lead Linden Lab while the firm searches for a new CEO.

“It’s been an intense few months of transition, and we all feel like we are in a better place now, with a clearer sense of direction and more focus, and are ready to bring someone new into the mix as a leader,” Rosedale said.

Rosedale founded Linden Lab in 1999.

Micrsoft declined to comment.