Levinson Quits Google Board Following Scrutiny
Google said on Monday that Arthur Levinson had resigned from its board following increased regulatory scrutiny over his membership as a director of both the top Internet search company and Apple.
The resignation by Levinson, the former chief executive of Genentech and a Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) board member since 2004, comes about two months after Google CEO Eric Schmidt quit the board of the maker of Mac computers and iPhones.
Google and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), long seen as allies against Microsoft's tech dominance, increasingly find themselves competing on a number of fronts, including operating systems and the fast-growing smartphone market.
Levinson left Google despite Schmidt's urging earlier this month that he stay.
"Art has been a key part of Google's success these past five years, offering unvarnished advice and vital counsel on every big issue and opportunity Google has faced," Schmidt said in a statement on Monday. "Though he leaves as a member of our board, Art will always have a special place at Google."
Shares of Apple and Google marked narrow gains in early trading. Google rose 1.5 percent to $524.00, while Apple climbed 0.5 percent to $191.45.