Niklas Zennstrom has stepped down as CEO of Skype.

 

According to a news release posted at eBay.com, Zennstrom, who co-founded Skype in 2003, will become non-executive chairman of the Skype Board of Directors. Michael van Swaaij, eBay's Chief Strategy Officer, will become acting CEO until a permanent successor is found.

 

Henry Gomez, Skype's President, who remained a Senior Vice President at eBay during his two-year tenure at Skype, will return to eBay as Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, reporting to President and CEO Meg Whitman.

 

eBay also announced that it has paid roughly $530 million to settle its future obligations under the earn-out agreement signed with certain Skype shareholders when eBay acquired Skype in 2005.

At the time of the acquisition, the earn-out agreement called for up to $1.7 billion based upon specific targets that were to be achieved in 2008 and the first half of 2009.