“When Steve Ballmer announced that he would be stepping down as Microsoft’s chief executive officer, that surprise event triggered five long months of speculation about who would replace him. Finally, the software giant’s board has reportedly settled on its choice: enterprise and cloud chief Satya Nadella,” Steve Tobak writes for FOXBusiness.
“The only thing surprising about that selection is, well, nothing. Nadella was the safe choice. But that doesn’t mean he was the right choice,” Tobak writes. “If Microsoft’s convoluted culture has to change – and that was the premise behind the well-received ‘One Microsoft’ restructuring led by Ballmer – then Nadella, a devout insider who has been with the company for 21 years, probably wasn’t the way to go.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote last night:
It’s tough, if not impossible, to deliver the type of change Microsoft needs when you’re a lifer.
Related article:
Microsoft said to be preparing to name Satya Nadella CEO – January 30, 2014
I think MS needs two CEOs. Like Dr. Evil. MS needs a “Mini Me” Co-CEO to be successfull.
Steve Tobak said and seems to understand that Microsoft is a convoluted culture, and then forgets that immediately saying this…
“It seems apparent that, instead of making a bold choice, a choice that would demonstrate their resolve to change the culture and reinvent the company, the board went with the safe choice, Nadella,”
What makes Steve think that convoluted does not apply to ‘resolve to change’; that choice is actually resolve to change in a convoluted culture!
But will he be as entertaining as Ballmer has been all these years?
If Nadella gets the CEO job, it will be excellent news …. for Apple.
21 years learning from Bill and Steve Ballmer??? OMG microsoft removed the captain of the TITANIC and put the captain of the CONCORDIA in the well.
I read it as Nutella, the chocolate spread.
Anyway, I read somewhere that Microsoft needed the 7th Cavalry to ride to its rescue by got an Indian instead.
Don’t blame me. I’m only the messenger.
…the *hazelnut* chocolate spread.
It is astonishing how Apple and Microsoft have literally changed places in the IT world. Consider this – 15 years ago MS had everyone by the balls and Apple software was almost nonexistent. Now Apple OWNS the mobile OS world with the largest ecosystem of mobile apps, and there are tons of apps for OSX. Meanwhile, MS has lost the OS war, both mobile AND desktop, with operating systems that are godawful. Windows 8 Metro apps are horrendous, and their app store is full of so much garbage that clearly they cannot attract even halfway decent developers anymore. Even Android has left them in the dust.
What a pathetic fall from grace. They need to fire not just a few, but restructure the entire company in order to survive. Here’s hoping that they stay on their current path and just fade away – it would serve them right.
We can start guessing who will be the next CEO of Micro$oft ~
When you replace the head football coach of a losing team you do not hire one of the assistant coaches.
I think your analyst of this subject was the most insightful (and dead on) I’ve heard.
Dear Nadella,
Please merge MS with BB.
Thanks.
Microsoft needs Scott Forstall. Someone who knows what they want to do and will kick ass to get it. I am sure he could fix the train wreck that is Windows 8.
I do not know if Forstall is under a non-compete, but he has family ties to Microsoft and grew up in the NW.
A MS without it’s head up it’s ass would be good for everyone- Apple users included. Competition is always a good thing.
sure, but do you think he wants to go from Apple to MS???? No way. Not gonna happen. He has too much pride.
Actually Apple needs Forstall back. Cook’s dislike of conflict (aka Yes men need only apply) is creating a mediocre environment where “Just Works” is fading as bad software tech like java and flash are being handed to their vendors. Now us users are left to deal with all that mess plus badly tested Apple software releases. Ive creates beautiful hardware but it takes someone like Scott Forstall to give them the software edge.
I’m sure Scott could give Windows some curtains. 😉
Satya Nadella isn’t just the safe choice for CEO. He is the only choice.
Now that the MS Titanic has hit the iceberg and is taking on water, no one who isn’t on the boat already is going to take over the duties of captain. Therefore, the only choice for a new captain is someone who is already on the MS Titanic and will be going down soon with everyone else anyway.
Hey Satya, be sure you know the faster route to the lifeboats.
who?
Now then Satya, you need to start practising the leery grin with the tongue right out – no, a little further – that’s it! I’m gonna send ya to boot camp now – it’ll take a while to learn all my monkey moves – ya gotta get it right or they just won’t take to ya.
Now when you return, I”ll lend you my mirror – the mirror where I practiced for hours trying to look really sincere when I was trying to look like I knew what I was talking about – once you’ve cracked that one I’ll let you loose on the inside track on Win 8 (it won’t take more ‘n 5 minutes) then you can start talking crap like I do all day.
Gee thanks Mr Ballmer.
I’d become CEO of Microsoft only to drive it into the ground.
Nope, they are doing it right. Keep on keeping on, Microslut.
For as long as it takes.
“My preciousssssssssssssss”…
Sorry~~ 😛