Apple, Google Cut Last Boardroom Ties With Levinson Exit

9:34 am, October 12th, 2009, Ed Sutherland

Dr. Arthur Levinson has resigned as a member of Google’s board of directors, cutting the final tie between the Mountain View, Calif. Internet giant and Apple. Google CEO Eric Schmidt left Apple’s board of directors in August.

Levinson, who served as a member of Google’s board of directors since 2004, remains on Apple’s board. Although no reason was given for Levinson leaving, reports suggested the departure may be tied to a Federal Trade Commission anti-competition investigation of Google and Apple.

Schmidt said Levinson, a former CEO of Genentech, had provided “unvarnished advice and vital counsel” while at Google and would always “have a special place at Google.”

In August, Schmidt resigned his post on Apple’s board of directors as competition between Google and Apple heat up on several fronts, including the highly visible battle between Android-based cell phones and Apple’s iPhone.

Whether Levinson’s departure will satisfy FTC investigators is unclear. When Schmidt resigned from Apple’s board, the government agency said it would continue the probe.

[Via AppleInsider]

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Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.

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