14 DAY TRIAL // Ford’s Alan Mulally, who has been included on Microsoft’s shortlist for potential successors for Steve Ballmer, is now the leading candidate to take over the position, reports citing people familiar with matter indicate.
AllThingsD writes that Mulally could be the next Microsoft CEO, as he also had a change of heart and now seems prepared to make the switch to Redmond.
Ford’s CEO, who recently said that he continues “to be focused on serving Ford” is reportedly on top of the list with potential successors for Steve Ballmer, as he’s seen as the right person to complete Microsoft’s transition to a devices and services company.
While Mulally clearly has what it takes to get Microsoft back on track (it did that with Ford despite the financial crisis that hit the Detroit Three so hard in 2009), it remains to be seen whether he can use his turnaround experience within a tech company.
In addition to Mulally, Microsoft is also holding talks with Stephen Elop, Nokia’s former CEO who joined Redmond after the company purchased the mobile division of the Finnish phone maker. Elop, who worked for Microsoft before joining Nokia, is a top candidate mostly because he’s already very familiar with the software giant’s new vision.
Ford’s CEO, on the other hand, seems to be backed by several Microsoft shareholders, especially thanks to the way he managed to bring Ford back to profit despite the economic recession. He’s expected to do the same with Microsoft, insiders explained.
Mulally seems to be a great speaker as much as he’s a top turnaround man. Here’s what he said a few years ago when talking about the way he wants to lead 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.”
If you’re wondering, June 2013 statistics indicate that Ford sold a total of 234,917 cars in just one month, which represents a 13 percent increase over the same period of the previous year. Small car sales, which include models such as Fiesta and Focus, grew by no less than 39 percent.