TECH | 8/23/2013 @ 4:45PM |3,780 views Five People Who Could Replace Steve Ballmer As Microsoft CEO SHARE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced today that he intends to step down and retire sometime in the next 12 months. The Microsoft Board of Directors must now select a worthy successor—someone who has the business sense to envision Microsoft’s future, and the charisma and clout to execute and achieve it. It won’t be easy. The Board—led by former Symantec CEO John Thompson—will now embark on the arduous journey to find that person. Microsoft will look at potential candidates both inside and outside of Microsoft, so the new CEO could be just about anyone (where should I submit my résumé?). Here are five people who are probably at or near the top of the list of potential candidates: 1. Julie Larson-Green Larson-Green has been with Microsoft for 20 years, and is arguably the best—or at least most logical—candidate from within Microsoft. She stepped up to fill the void when Steven Sinofsky abruptly left. As executive vice president of devices and studios, she is in charge of hardware platforms like Xbox and the Surface tablets. Recent history might suggest that those aren’t stellar success stories for Microsoft, but Larson-Green still knows this side of the business, and she’s in a position to understand what it will take for Microsoft to move into the future. 2. Qi Lu Another potential candidate from inside Microsoft is Qi Lu—executive vice president of the Applications and Services group that oversees Office, SharePoint, Bing, and other services within Microsoft. Office remains a shining star among the Microsoft heavens, and in a world of declining PC sales, and the possibility of reduced relevance for Windows itself, Microsoft may need to rely more heavily on services to remain profitable. 3. Vic Gundotra Vic Gundotra left for the dark side. He exited Microsoft to take on a role overseeing Google’s Google+ social network. That may be a mark against him in the eyes of the Microsoft Board, but the reality is that it also gives him a unique perspective of Microsoft. As a former Microsoft executive, he has a grasp of the internal politics, and knows what makes the company tick, but as an outside rival, he also has a unique view into Microsoft’s potential weaknesses, and what it will take to shake things up and keep Microsoft aggressive. 4. Steven Sinofsky The internal conflicts that led Sinofsky to leave Microsoft are still shrouded in mystery, and thanks to some sort of non-disclosure agreement as a condition of his departure, he hasn’t publicly discussed it. Sinofsky is more or less responsible for the design of Windows 8, which could be a pro or a con depending on your perspective. He just accepted a position as partner with Andreessen Horowitz, so he may not even be interested, but Sinofsky is another candidate who is familiar with the inner-workings of Microsoft, and has a pretty good idea of what it will take to lead the company through a difficult transition. 5. Stephen Elop Lastly, we have another ex-Microsoft alum—Stephen Elop. Elop led Microsoft’s business division—one of the most consistently profitable gems within Microsoft, before departing to become CEO of Nokia. As CEO of Nokia, Elop has continued to work closely with Microsoft as its premier partner for Windows Phone smartphones. The fact that Nokia is struggling may reflect poorly on his leadership skills, but his history with Microsoft combined with his recent experience in mobile devices may make him uniquely suited to adapt Microsoft to the changing tech landscape. Whether you’re a Steve Ballmer fan, or not, you have to give the bald-headed Microsoft CEO some credit. Microsoft has hit some bumps in the road, but Ballmer has presided over Microsoft during a period in which technology and the way we use it has changed dramatically. He’s been responsible for navigating some seismic shifts in Microsoft desktop PCs, networking, entertainment, and mobile devices, and he has had to push hard to drag some Microsoft customers—kicking and screaming—into the present, never mind the future. Is one of these five people the right person to take the reins and lead the next Microsoft era? Are there other candidates you feel are better suited? I’d like to hear other suggestions for possible Microsoft CEO candidates in the comments. SHARE: Microsoft, With CEO Ballmer Headed For Exit, May Need Outsider To Drive Innovation Fix Connie Guglielmo, Forbes Staff Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer To Retire In Next 12 Months Steve Schaefer, Forbes Staff Ballmer Quits, Instantly Makes (Almost) $1 Billion Bruce Upbin, Forbes Staff By Majesty King Bareng Geoffrey Mogorosi At BAGEMO Media Corporation "MMC"
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 01:37:52 +0000
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