Microsoft may be in enough of fix that it needs a so-called “turnaround expert” to succeed outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer.
According to a Reuters report, at least three of Microsoft’s top 20 investors are pushing to hire a CEO that can help the company move forward as a devices and services company. Two names in particular are at the top of these investors’ list: Ford Motor Company’s CEO Alan Mulally, and Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) CEO Mike Lawrie.
Lawrie and Mulally emerged as top picks from an initial pool of 40 candidates, according the report, which cites unnamed sources.
Mulally joined Ford in 2006, prior to serving as executive vice president of The Boeing Company, and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Mulally was asked last week about the possibility of moving to Microsoft, but he told Reuters he was focused on serving Ford.
Lawrie was appointed to CSC’s board of directors in February 2012 and assumed the position of president and CEO on March 19, 2012.
Microsoft has seen a lot of changes recently. The company’s longtime CEO Steve Ballmer announced he would retire just prior to the big news that the company will acquire Nokia’s phone business.
In April, Microsoft posted third-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates, calming some fears that the software giant would fall silent as the world continually turns away from PCs.