After a five-month search, Microsoft has decided to promote its own cloud computing lead to fill Ballmer's shoes as CEO.

Sarah Thomas, Director, Women in Comms

February 4, 2014

1 Min Read
Nadella Promotion Ends Microsoft CEO Search

Microsoft's five-month CEO search has come to an end, as the company announced Tuesday it is promoting current cloud and enterprise lead Satya Nadella to the top slot.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) has been looking for a new CEO since Steve Ballmer announced he was resigning back in August. It hasn't been an easy search, with candidates such as Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) CEO Hans Vestberg, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, and former Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) CEO Stephen Elop all being rumored as successors along the way. (See Ballmer Bails on Microsoft, Ericsson CEO Snubs Microsoft Top Job Too?, Will Elop Return Without the Crown?, and Report: Ericsson CEO on Shortlist for Microsoft Top Job.)

Nadella has been with Microsoft for more than 20 years, most recently serving as executive vice president of its Cloud and Enterprise Group. The bulk of his experience is in software, but his biggest challenge will now be to help Microsoft regain its relevancy in the mobile market, where its Windows Phone operating system has struggled to compete against Android and Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL).

Microsoft also said on Tuesday that founder and current Chairman of the Board Bill Gates will take on a technology advisory role that will see him get more involved in the company again. John Thompson, lead independent director of the board, will take on the chairman role.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Sarah Thomas

Director, Women in Comms

Sarah Thomas's love affair with communications began in 2003 when she bought her first cellphone, a pink RAZR, which she duly "bedazzled" with the help of superglue and her dad.

She joined the editorial staff at Light Reading in 2010 and has been covering mobile technologies ever since. Sarah got her start covering telecom in 2007 at Telephony, later Connected Planet, may it rest in peace. Her non-telecom work experience includes a brief foray into public relations at Fleishman-Hillard (her cussin' upset the clients) and a hodge-podge of internships, including spells at Ingram's (Kansas City's business magazine), American Spa magazine (where she was Chief Hot-Tub Correspondent), and the tweens' quiz bible, QuizFest, in NYC.

As Editorial Operations Director, a role she took on in January 2015, Sarah is responsible for the day-to-day management of the non-news content elements on Light Reading.

Sarah received her Bachelor's in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She lives in Chicago with her 3DTV, her iPad and a drawer full of smartphone cords.

Away from the world of telecom journalism, Sarah likes to dabble in monster truck racing, becoming part of Team Bigfoot in 2009.

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