Jobs to skip shareholder meeting

 

Gallery

By Stuart Turton

Posted on 24 Feb 2009 at 08:51

Steve Jobs will skip next week's shareholder meeting, the first he'll have missed since reclaiming leadership of Apple in 1997.

Jobs is currently on a medical leave of absence until June, but had previously claimed that he would remain involved in major strategic decisions.

The meeting gives shareholders, which include Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, the chance to ask questions of the company's board. The majority of the conversation is expected to revolve around Jobs' health.

Shareholders have become increasingly nervous about Jobs' health situation after the Security and Exchange Commission was reported to be investigating whether investors were misled.

The SEC has refused to comment.

Day-to-day handling of Apple is currently being handled by chief operating office Tim Cook. This is the second time Cook has stepped up to the plate in Jobs' absence, taking over the role first in 2004 when the CEO was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.