Robert J (Bob) Herbold, retired Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Corporation, is the Managing Director of Herbold Group, LLC, a consulting business focused on profitability. Herbold serves on the Board of Directors of Agilent Technologies, First Mutual Bank and ICOS Corporation. Also, in 2002 he was appointed by US President Bush to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Herbold joined Microsoft in November 1994 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, retiring in spring, 2001. Prior to joining Microsoft, Herbold spent 26 years at The Procter & Gamble Company.

In his last 5 years with P&G, he served as Senior Vice President of marketing. Herbold authored an article in the January, 2002 issue of the Harvard Business Review entitled “Inside Microsoft: Balancing Discipline and Creativity”, which discusses how companies can improve their profitability and agility. Also, he recently authored a book (published by Doubleday) titled The Fiefdom Syndrome which focuses on the turf battles and bureaucracy that undermine careers and companies – and how to overcome them.