Opera co-founder Jon von Tetzchner quits over boardroom disputes

Tells staff that 'I feel the Board and Management is more quarterly focused than me'

Browser firm Opera Software has been going from strength to strength in recent times thanks to its burgeoning mobile business. However, the company will be plotting its future strategy without co-founder Jon von Tetzchner.

He has announced that he will be leaving Opera on 30 June, having co-founded the company in 1995.

The official quotes in Opera's press statement are amicable enough, with Tetzchner saying "When we first started out, we were a few guys in a really small office - now we are spread all over the world, have over 740 employees and over 200 million users. I am very proud of what we have accomplished, and look forward to following the company closely also in the future"

Opera CEO Lars Boilesen returns the compliments, saying that "He has taught me and everyone working here a lot. He believed in, and pushed out innovation after innovation that we see our competitors constantly struggling with copying, making Opera a first mover in the technological development of web browsers as we know them today."

However, Tetzchner's email to Opera staff - as leaked to TechCrunch - tells a different story.

"It has become clear that The Board, Management and I do not share the same values and we do not have the same opinions on how to keep evolving Opera. As a result I have come to an agreement with the Board to end my time at Opera. I feel the Board and Management is more quarterly focused than me. I have always worked to build the company for the future. I believe the foundation we have is very solid to build further upon."