Reid Hoffman Leaves Microsoft Board After Nearly a Decade

Jun 5, 2026

Reid Hoffman informed Microsoft's board on June 3, 2026 that he will not seek reelection as director, ending a tenure that began in early 2017. Hoffman sold LinkedIn to Microsoft for $27 billion in 2016. He will remain on the board until Microsoft's annual meeting at the end of 2026 to focus on Manas, an AI-native biopharmaceutical company he co-founded.

Hoffman's Microsoft board departure

▪Reid Hoffman informed Microsoft's board on June 2, 2026 of his decision not to run for reelection as a director.
▪Reid Hoffman joined Microsoft's board of directors in early 2017.
▪Reid Hoffman indicated to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella that Reid Hoffman should focus on the Manas project.
▪Reid Hoffman will remain a Microsoft director until Microsoft's annual meeting at the end of 2026.

LinkedIn acquisition by Microsoft

▪Reid Hoffman was an executive vice president at PayPal before starting LinkedIn.
▪Reid Hoffman started LinkedIn in 2002.
▪Reid Hoffman sold LinkedIn to Microsoft for $27 billion in 2016.

OpenAI board resignation

▪Reid Hoffman stated that by stepping off the OpenAI board, Reid Hoffman could proactively put to rest any downstream potential issues for both OpenAI and all Greylock portfolio companies Reid Hoffman had backed.
▪Reid Hoffman was among the donors to OpenAI when OpenAI launched in 2015 as a nonprofit.
▪Reid Hoffman stepped down from the OpenAI board in 2023.

Manas AI biopharmaceutical venture

▪Reid Hoffman stated that at the end of 2026, Reid Hoffman should be transitioning to being in founder mode.
▪Reid Hoffman is a co-founder of Manas, which calls itself an AI-native biopharmaceutical company.
▪Reid Hoffman became a general partner at venture firm Greylock in 2009.

Inflection AI talent acquisition

▪Reid Hoffman was a co-founder of artificial intelligence startup Inflection alongside Mustafa Suleyman.
▪Mustafa Suleyman is CEO of Microsoft AI, working on the development of generative AI models.
▪Microsoft said in 2024 that Mustafa Suleyman and several other Inflection employees were joining Microsoft.

Epstein communications controversy

▪Reuters reported that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating a group with ties to Reid Hoffman over contributions to E. Jean Carroll's legal battles against President Donald Trump.
▪Reid Hoffman has apologized for associating with Jeffrey Epstein.
▪Reid Hoffman stated that the Justice Department is investigating Reid Hoffman because Reid Hoffman supported E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit where a jury found Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll.
▪The U.S. Justice Department released documents in 2026 showing communications between Reid Hoffman and financier Jeffrey Epstein.