How Brad Smith helps Microsoft avoid government scrutiny by being amicable with regulators while directing negative attention at the company's Big Tech rivals
President Brad Smith has taken an amicable role with regulators. Rivals say he also directs negative attention toward them. Tweets: @om , @carnage4life , @carnage4life , @wavesblog , @ryanlawler , @arekfurt , @proferictalley , @wsj , @jasonalb , and @rwang0 Tweets: @om : A lot of people forget that Microsoft had to sign some paperwork regarding its anti-trust problems. And then there was that @Skype acquisition where there was some quid pro quo. In other words, US Govt. has always had Microsoft by the you know what. Everything else is spin! https://twitter.com/... @carnage4life : Microsoft has a trifecta of amazing leadership - Satya on product strategy, Amy Hood on finance, and Brad Smith on lobbying & policy. It's rare to get profiles on the others, so bookmark this. Brad Smith's giving a master class on dealing with regulators. https://www.wsj.com/... @carnage4life : To get the top Republican in the House Antitrust committee to tweet support for the $69B Activision acquisition on the day it was announced is a massive coup. If there was a hall of fame for corporate lobbying, this would be the star attraction. https://twitter.com/... @wavesblog : “Mr. Smith created a new group, called the Office of Strategic Relations, made up of lawyers and lobbyists, to push antitrust cases against Google in the U.S. and Europe. It backed anti-Google groups and gave financial assistance and expertise to companies challenging Google” https://twitter.com/... Ryan Lawler / @ryanlawler : This headline could have been ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ and they just blew it https://www.wsj.com/... @arekfurt : Microsoft's long experience playing the Washington game serves it very well. Of course, it also helps tremendously that regulators and legislators don't currently care much about the enterprise software market, where MS makes the vast bulk of its money. https://www.techmeme.com/... Eric Talley / @proferictalley : Interesting piece, but neglected what is obviously the most critical factor distinguishing MSFT's @BradSmi and counterparts at GOOG/MSFT/APPL/AMZN: Legal training — esp. a @ColumbiaLaw degree (CLS Class of '85!) https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ @wsj : Microsoft was once an antitrust pariah but is now widely seen by regulators as the friendly party among today's top tech companies. Its rivals say that comes at their expense. https://www.wsj.com/... Jason Albert / @jasonalb : As a former @Microsoft employee who worked with & for @BradSmi, this great article omits 1 key element: the quality of Brad's ideas. MSFT succeeds in govt affairs bc it outthinks its rivals & proposes innovative, novel regulatory approaches https://www.wsj.com/... @rwang0 : MyPOV: kabuki theatre at the highest levels. @Microsoft—now trying to get its $75 billion deal for Activision approved—has taken a friendly role with regulators. Tech rivals say it also directs negative attention toward them. https://www.wsj.com/...