According to a Reuters report, three of Microsoft’s investors want Bill Gates out as chairman of the company he co-founded with Paul Allen on April 4, 1975.

Gates, 57, is currently chairman of the board at Microsoft and that role is what has investors concerned that he effectively blocks the adoption of new strategies and would limit the power of a new chief executive to make substantial changes.

Gates relinquished his CEO duties at the company in 2000. His follow-up role was as chief software architect, which he assumed full time until 2006; he worked part time until 2008.

Current CEO Steve Ballmer announced in August that he would retire within the year. Microsoft is searching for his replacement.