Rumors have been flying for months about Ford CEO Alan Mulally possibly succeeding Steve Ballmer as Microsoft’s chief executive once Ballmer steps down in 2014. Now, it appears as if the powers that be at Ford have heard enough about the whispers. They’re allegedly planning to have a sit down to discuss Mulally’s future, as well as the rumors themselves, in an effort to determine whether murmurs of Mullally’s Microsoft-bound ambitions have any merit to or not, according to Reuters. However, it’s unclear whether Mulally will be present when the powwow occurs.
So aside from obvious reasons, why exactly is Ford anxious to figure out what Mullaly’s plans for the future are? According to one figure familiar with the automaker’s board’s thinking, the Mullaly chatter is drowning out Ford’s cars.
“It’s drowning out the rest of the story. People don’t write about Mustang, they don’t write about earnings, they write about Mulally,” the person said.
That can’t be good for business. Regardless, Mulally, who has led Ford’s turnaround in the 21st century, could be a wise pick for Microsoft, which could benefit from a fresh face as well as an outsider’s perspective, especially after suffering multiple failures, including Windows 8, Zune, Windows Vista, and more.
In case you’re wondering whether a tech outsider like Mulally would make a good fit forMicrosoft, here are five maneuvers he could make if hired as Microsoft’s head honcho, based on what he’s done in similar roles in the past.
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