Microsoft’s hunt for a new CEO appears to be coming to an end. Following reports yesterday that Microsoft’s own Satya Nadella (currently leading the company’s Cloud and Enterprise division) would likely be tapped for the role, a new rumour surfaced today to suggest that Microsoft will go outside of the company for the role. Citing unnamed sources “close to the hiring team,” siliconAngle reports that Google’s Senior Vice President of Chrome and Apps, Sundar Pichai is the “top choice” for the position. It adds that “negotiations are in full swing” with Pichai.
Little else is known at this point. If negotiations are indeed in the final stages, an announcement could come quite soon.
Pichai is a well regarded executive both internally and externally. Once rumoured to be in the running to lead Twitter, there are reports that Google has paid him hefty retention bonuses (up to US$50 million) to stay there. Along with his responsibility for leading the development of the Chrome OS, he added responsibility for Android back in March 2013 when he took over from Andy Rubin.
Assuming for a moment that this rumour is legitimate, will the challenge of turning Microsoft around prove to be a challenge that Pichai would want to take on? Microsoft’s culture is very different from Google’s and it might not be the fit. Then again, others see Pichai as exactly what Microsoft needs. According to Wikibon chief analyst Dave Vellante:
“The market has been looking for a CEO who can balance the role of leading the enterprise transformation while keeping that consumer momentum with xBox and reboot mobile. Pichai is the total package of technology leadership and business acumen.”
Do you think that Pichai might leave to take over one of Google’s biggest rivals? Let us know below.
Update: Re/Code‘s Kara Swisher has tweeted that her sources tell her that Pichai “is not in the Microsoft CEO running.” I’d consider this rumour dead at this point.
Sources : siliconAngle // Slashgear // @KaraSwisher