Ford chief executive officer Alan Mulally is topping the list of potential candidates for the next Microsoft CEO to replace Steve Ballmer who recently had his farewell party.
According to Forbes, there is already a list of potential candidates for the next Microsoft CEO. Speculations were fairly concentrated around Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, also previously a Microsoft Executive. The rumor emerged after Microsoft acquired Nokia.
However things must have turned around since. AllThingsDreported that Microsoft has engaged in serious discussions with Ford CEO Alan Mulally. Apparently, he made it on top of the shortlisted candidates for Microsoft CEO.
Mulally is known as a highly competent leader with an outstanding track record. He steered Boeing to bounce back and then took the helm as Ford CEO to get the car company back in shape.
But does Mulally represent a suitable fit to lead and navigate Microsoft through the rapid and dynamic challenges along the way? Forbesweighed in the situation to answer this.
The pressing issue at Microsoft is not merely an experienced CEO and capable of turning a company around, but one who has a good grasp of the current trends in the tech industry and the navigation skills to manage the tides. Mulally at age 68 may have fallen short on this aspect.
Nokia CEO Elop may be a better candidate then compared to Mulally since he had come from the same industry and had experience in Microsoft.
On the other hand, there are other highly potential CEO characters that better fit what Microsoft needs. The ones who make the list are Valve CEO Gabe Newell and Microsoft VP Tony Bates. Both are young and have proved themselves great at navigating technology companies.
Newell previously worked at Microsoft and had proved to be a great asset after successfully steering Valve to be a gaming industry leader and a vicious rival to MS XBox.
Bates is VP of Business Development and Evangelism team at Microsoft. He is also former CEO of Skype before Microsoft acquired it. He has a good mix of tech-start up experience, good business leadership and familiarity of Microsoft's organization.
The Microsoft community boasts of brilliant minds from top to bottom, however it needs a transitional leader who can marshal the company to be at the frontlines of the technology industry, instead of lagging behind.
