Constellation Software shares close week down 17 percent after founder and CEO steps down

Company Overview - Constellation Software was founded in 1995 by Mark Leonard, who has been instrumental in building the company into a significant player in the software industry, drawing comparisons to Warren Buffett for his investment strategies [6] - The company is one of Canada's largest public tech firms, with a market capitalization of approximately $82 billion and over 125,000 customers across more than 100 countries [7] Leadership Changes - Mark Leonard stepped down as CEO after 30 years due to health reasons but will remain on the board [1][2] - Mark Miller, who has been with the company since 2001 and previously led the acquisition-focused division Volaris Group, has been appointed as the new president [2][3] - Leonard expressed full confidence in Miller's ability to lead the company and execute its business plan [3] Financial Performance - Constellation's latest earnings report indicated a 15% year-over-year revenue growth, reaching $2.84 billion [7] - Following Leonard's resignation announcement, the company's stock price dropped by 10%, reaching its lowest point of the year at $3,660 on the Toronto Stock Exchange [5] Strategic Initiatives - The company launched a $200 million venture fund, VMS Ventures, in 2021 to identify potential acquisition targets, particularly focusing on tech firms struggling to achieve profitability [8] - Leonard recently hosted a conference call discussing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the software industry, indicating that Constellation is closely monitoring AI developments [4]