14 DAY TRIAL // Ford’s CEO Alan Mulally, who has often been linked with a potential switch to Microsoft, is now under pressure of the company’s board for a decision on his future, as the directors of the American automakers want to know whether he’ll stay until late 2014 or not.
Reuters is reporting, via unofficial sources, that members of the Ford board will meet this week to discuss the Mulally future. Mulally, who is a board member himself, might not attend the meeting, but directors could set up a new meeting next week to discuss further details.
It turns out that Ford’s board members are upset that all the attention goes to Mulally instead of the company’s new products, including the new Mustang that has been recently unveiled.
“It's drowning out the rest of the story,” a company official said. “People don't write about Mustang, they don't write about earnings, they write about Mulally.”
Even though people familiar with the matter said that Mulally is unlikely to join Microsoft because Redmond wants a person with more tech experience, Reuters is adding that he’ll probably leave Ford as well when his contract comes to an end.
Ford’s board is pleased with Mulally’s tenure at the company, so the CEO could very well be allowed to leave if he decides to replace Steve Ballmer at the helm of Microsoft.
“He has done what he needs to at Ford,” a person familiar with the matter said.
In the meantime, Microsoft is said to be considering some other options, including former Nokia boss Stephen Elop and cloud boss Satya Nadella.
Tony Bates and Kevin Turner are also said to be in the race for the CEO position, even though sources close to the negotiations said that Nadella and Mulally are front-runners for taking over from Steve Ballmer by the end of the year.