Microsoft’s shortlist for potential successors for Steve Ballmer seems to be getting shorter. Word is that Ford CEO Alan Mulally has now become the leading candidate to take over the position.
AllThingsD writes, citing people familiar with the matter, that Mulally, himself, has had a change of heart, and is now ready to make the switch to Redmond. Microsoft’s board was said to be taking a look at several internal and external candidates.
Ford’s CEO, however, is seen by the board as the right person to complete the transition to a devices and services approach that Redmond has put into action.
And more importantly, Mulally has what it takes to give Microsoft the necessary momentum — he put Ford back on track (both literally and figuratively) despite the financial crisis that hit the Detroit Three hard in 2009.
The only thing that seems to be under discussion is whether he can do the same for a technology company, and important technology company like Microsoft. But Mulally is a great speaker, that is for sure. Take a look at what he said a few years ago about leading a company:
“I live for results, so I have tremendous emotional resilience. I don’t get sidetracked, I stay on task, and I always know there’s a way. I’m a can-do, find-a-way person, and that can be pretty tough.”
Additionally, Redmond is also holding talks with Nokia’s former CEO, Stephen Elop, who joined the company after Microsoft purchased the Finnish firm’s devices and services unit. Elop has the added bonus of being familiar with the software titan’s new vision, so that’s a plus in his column.
Nevertheless, Ford’s CEO, it seems, is backed by the majority of Microsoft shareholders. And insiders expect him to pull off similar miracles at Redmond.
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