If recent unconfirmed reports are to be believed then we might soon hear news that Microsoft’s enterprise and cloud chief, Satya Nadella is going to replace Steve Ballmer as company’s next CEO.
Microsoft Board of Directors is preparing to name the 47-year-old, Hyderabad, India born, Satya Nadella as Steve Ballmer’s successor, reported Bloomberg citing sources familiar with the matter.
As per the report, the board is also holding discussions to replace the current Chairman Bill Gates, possibly with John Thompson, Microsoft’s lead independent director. Even after stepping down from the Chairman post Gates will be actively involved in the company, said two people with knowledge of the matter.
Nadella, who joined Microsoft in 1992 and was earlier in charge of Microsoft’s growing server and tools business, was promoted and made the executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group, in July last year as part of Steve Ballmer’s radical re-organisation initiative.
It was when several talented external candidates including Ford Motor’s CEO Alan Mulally, Qualcomm CEOSteve Mollenkopf, and Ericsson AB CEO Hans Vestberg pulled out of Microsoft’s CEO race that the board started giving a serious thought on Nadella as Ballmer’s replacement. Microsoft’s CEO search started last August when Ballmer announced his plan to retire within a year.
However, the plans have not yet been finalised, said Bloomberg. Frank Shaw, Microsoft spokesman declined to confirm the reports.
