I wrote back in Aug 2013 an Analysis The Next Microsoft CEO, and put Satya as the leading candidate.
Well today is the press release, and Satya has the job.
Microsoft Board names Satya Nadella as CEO
Feb. 04, 2014Bill Gates steps up to new role as Technology Advisor; John Thompson assumes role as Chairman of Board of Directors.REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 4, 2014 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Satya Nadella as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors effective immediately. Nadella previously held the position of Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group.
“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s Founder and Member of the Board of Directors. “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.”
The above fits with what I said.
Summary: The next CEO of Microsoft is going to be someone Bill Gates and his advisors trust and respect to fulfill the CEO role over the next 15-20 years. Microsoft is a company built on writing software, therefore the CEO should have the ability to support the vision of developing innovative software that leads the industry in growth. Satya Nadella is a leading candidate. What is unknown is what Bill Gates thinks of the other candidates vs. Satya.
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My perspective on Satya is different than many as I remember Satya from days of working on Microsoft's Interactive TV where he was a product manager and I was a program manager. We were chatting a bit back in June 2013 at GigaOm Structure. Satya joined Microsoft in Feb 1992. I joined in Apr 1992. Satya has worked in a wide range of roles at Microsoft and has taken the path of being groomed for executive leadership.
Now that the Microsoft CEO is identified the company can move on. Who will take over Satya’s job? What is the new organization now that Satya has the backing of the board?
“Satya is clearly the best person to lead Microsoft, and he has the unanimous support of our Board,” Thompson said. “The Board took the thoughtful approach that our shareholders, customers, partners and employees expected and deserved.”