Bill Gates and the Search for a New Microsoft CEO

Since Bill Gates's departure from Microsoft, Steve Ballmer took the reins of the technology giant but now he too is stepping down.

Microsoft needs someone with a strategic vision for the company. Marissa Mayer, Yahoo's CEO, who oversaw several of Google's most-popular services, brought a product-minded approach to Yahoo to turn the company around. So far, this strategy seems to be successful. The next Microsoft CEO must bring that something extra to the table. The challenge for the new CEO will be to thrust Microsoft into this new era. In the last decade, Microsoft has lagged behind its competitors; Microsoft must leap ahead into cloud computing, wearable tech, and online advertising as well as catching up in terms of smartphones, tablets, and Web search.

Stanford Professor Robert Sutton, an expert on corporate management, said, "It's a challenge akin to searching for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle isn't likely there." Tony Bates, Satya Nadella, Qi Lu, and Terry Myerson are the top choices within the company to take on the role. But Microsoft may look outside of the company to find Ballmer's replacement. Executive recruiters are encouraging Microsoft to look at current Google employees for a possible successor. One possible candidate from Google is Vic Gundotra, currently senior vice president of Google's social-networking efforts. Another possible candidate is John Donahoe, currently CEO of Ebay. Microsoft needs to figure out its priorities before it chooses its latest successor, but when it does things might change for the tech giant. 

Maddihul