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Tag: Alan Mulally

  • Google Adds Former Ford CEO Alan Mulally To Board

    Google Adds Former Ford CEO Alan Mulally To Board

    Google announced on Tuesday that it has appointed former Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally to its Board of Directors.

    Mulally’s retirement from Ford was announced only a couple months ago, and took effect on July 1st. As a Board member at Google, he’ll serve on the company’s Audit Committee.

    CEO Larry Page said, “Alan brings a wealth of proven business and technology leadership experience. I am so pleased that Alan is now joining Google’s board!”

    Mulally added, “I am honored to serve on the board of a global iconic company that is dedicated to enhancing our lives. I look forward to working together with the Google board and management team to continue to deliver their compelling vision.”

    Mulally was once considered to be in the running for the Microsoft CEO position before Satya Nadella took the position.

    Here’s more biographical info about Mulally from Google’s announcement:

    Mr. Mulally served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company, a global automotive company, from September 2006 through June 2014. Mulally was previously a member of the board of directors of Ford and served on its finance committee from September 2006 through June 2014.

    From March 2001 to September 2006, Mr. Mulally served as Executive Vice President of the Boeing Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Inc. He also was a member of the Boeing Executive Council. Prior to that time, he served as President of Boeing’s space and defense business.

    Mr. Mulally served as co-chair of the Washington Competitiveness Council and sat on the advisory boards of NASA, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas, the Massachusetts Institute Technology, and the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of England’s Royal Academy of Engineering.

    Mr. Mulally holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Kansas, and a Master’s degree in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a 1982 Alfred P. Sloan fellow.

    Image via Ford

  • Ford Cars: New CEO Mark Fields Faces Sales Challenges

    Ford Cars: New CEO Mark Fields Faces Sales Challenges

    Since the announcement that CEO of Ford, Alan Mulally, will step down, there has been much speculation as to what the changes new CEO Mark Fields will make and the challenges he will face.

    The announcement was made ceremoniously at Ford World Headquarters Thursday. Paul W. Smith of the Detroit News described the scene. “The architect, Bill Ford, sat in the middle; on his left, the always smiling, upbeat Alan Mulally; on his right, the always smiling, upbeat Mark Fields,” Smith wrote, “If you weren’t from around here, no one could blame you for thinking you were looking at three brothers with boyish good looks, ready to talk excitedly about the three beautiful brand new vehicles behind them, three “kids” in the family car business.”

    Mark Fields will officially take over as CEO on July 1st, when Alan Mulally is set to retire. Mulally first took over the company back in 2006 when it was nearly bankrupt. “In the past when we’ve had new CEOs, you have a new strategy and a new card with new behaviors on it,” Fields said according to Bloomberg News, “We’re not going to slip back into old ways.”

    One of the first challenges Feilds will face as CEO is a flat lining of car sales. This April, the Motley Fool reported car sales for the company went down 0.7%. Erich Merkle attributed the drop to lack of rental car sales and a shift away from cars towards crossovers and SUVs.

    The company sent out a press release that the Ford’s F-Series has had its best sales in the month of April since 2006, while the Explorer had its best U.S. April sales since 2005. The Ford Explorer made number 19 on USA Today’s list of top selling cars for April, while the Ford F-Series pickup made number one. This news comes in despite of the 435,000 Car And SUV recall Ford made in April, due to a lack of steering control.

    How will Fields take on these challenges? We’ll just have to wait and see.

    Image via WXYZ-TV Detroit / Channel 7, YouTube

  • Ford CEO Alan Mulally Retiring July 1

    Ford CEO Alan Mulally Retiring July 1

    Ford this week announced that CEO Alan Mulally will be retiring. Mulally will step aside starting July 1.

    “It has been an honor to serve and contribute to creating a viable, profitably growing company for the good of everyone associated with the Ford Motor Company,” said Mulally. “By working together with all of our stakeholders around the world, we now are accelerating Henry Ford’s original vision to open the highways to all mankind.”

    In his place, Ford COO Mark Fields has been named as Ford’s new president and CEO. Before becoming COO and leading weekly reviews of Ford’s “One Ford” business plan, Fields had worked for Ford since 1989. During his early years with the company Fields headed Ford’s Argentina division and then took over as head of Ford’s Mazda subsidiary. In 2002 Fields was named chairman of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group. Fields became Ford COO at the same time Mulally was announced as CEO.

    Mulally has led Ford as CEO since September 2006. Throughout his nearly 8 years at Ford Mulally steered Ford to profitability and a modernized lineup of vehicles.

    Under Mulally’s leadership Ford largely avoided the costs of the recent recession that led other American automakers to need a handout from the U.S. Government. Because of this Mulally was rumored to have been a top candidate to replace Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer late last year.

    Despite the rumors, Ford executives believed that Mulally would stick with Ford through at least the end of 2014. Ford this week stated that Mulally’s departure is coming 6 months early due to Mulally’s confidence in Ford’s “leadership team.”

    “Alan and I feel strongly that Mark and the entire leadership team are absolutely ready to lead Ford forward, and now is the time to begin the transition,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company. “Alan deservedly will be long remembered for engineering one of the most successful business turnarounds in history. Under Alan’s leadership, Ford not only survived the global economic crisis, it emerged as one of the world’s strongest auto companies. We always will be grateful to Alan for his leadership, compelling vision and for fostering a culture of working together that will serve our company for decades to come.”

    Image via Ford

  • Here’s What’s Going On With The Microsoft CEO Situation

    As you’re probably aware, Microsoft announced back in the summer that CEO Steve Ballmer would be stepping down after another twelve months. The company’s Board of Directors would begin a search for his replacement.

    The company has now given an update on the search, and no, they haven’t found the replacement yet.

    As Microsoft said from the beginning, they’re looking both inside of the company and outside for the right person to fill Ballmer’s shoes.

    John W. Thompson, chair of the Board’s search committee, says he’s pleased with the search’s progress.

    “The Board has taken the thoughtful approach that our shareholders, customers, partners and employees expect and deserve,” he says. “After defining our criteria, we initially cast a wide net across a number of different industries and skill sets. We identified over 100 possible candidates, talked with several dozen, and then focused our energy intensely on a group of about 20 individuals, all extremely impressive in their own right. As you would expect, as this group has narrowed, we’ve done deeper research and investigation, including with the full Board. We’re moving ahead well, and I expect we’ll complete our work in the early part of 2014.”

    “At the same time, Microsoft has continued to drive hard,” he adds. “Our employees produced strong quarterly results, announced in October. They released new versions of Windows, our Surface products and many other offerings. And the launch of Xbox One was experienced around the world. All of us on the Board appreciate their continued focus and commitment.”

    You can take a look at the quarterly results here.

    “As a Board, we are determined and confident that the company’s third CEO will lead Microsoft to renewed and continued success,” Thompson says. ” We’re looking forward to 2014 and the opportunities and decisions that lie ahead.”

    Ford CEO Alan Mulally had been a major contender to fill the role, but a couple weeks ago, Ford Board Director Edsel Ford indicated that Mulally would be staying with Ford through the end of 2014 at least. That doesn’t quite fit the timeframe Microsoft is talking about.

    Two other frequently mentioned candidates are Satya Nadella and Tony Bates. Nadella leads Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group, and Bates leads its Business Development and Strategy.

    Former Nokia CEO (and current softie) Stephen Elop has also been mentioned in various reports (with rumors swirling that if he were to get the job, he would consider getting rid of Bing and Xbox).

    There has also been an unnamed person said to be on the shortlist of potential candidates.

    Image: YouTube

  • Ford Says Alan Mulally Is Not Leaving For Microsoft

    Ford Says Alan Mulally Is Not Leaving For Microsoft

    Ever since talks began of who was going to replace outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Ford CEO Alan Mulally topped the list of potential candidates. His inclusion was rather exciting for some as he previously turned Ford around at the height of the automotive industry crisis and didn’t even need government stimulus money to do so. As you can imagine, that’s very appealing to a company like Microsoft that’s looking to turn itself around, but it looks like Mulally won’t be leaving Ford anytime soon.

    Bloomberg reports that Ford Board Director, Edsel Ford, recently stated that Mulally is staying with Ford through the end of 2014. That’s been the narrative Ford has given ever since it was first rumored that Mulally might be leaving for Microsoft. While Ford’s CEO is not tied down to the company through any contractual obligations, the man himself has also stated that he wishes to remain with the company through at least the end of next year.

    If that’s the case, that leaves Microsoft in somewhat of a bind as it needs to announce a replacement and fast. A report from October said that the company was looking to replace Ballmer by the end of 2013, but it’s looking more and more like that’s not possible. At best, we will see a replacement announcement at some point in January or February.

    If Mulally is truly out of the picture, where does that leave Microsoft? The company’s other two top candidates – Satya Nadella and Tony Bates – come from within with the former leading the company’s Cloud and Enterprise group while the latter leads the company’s Business Development and Strategy. With Microsoft’s focus on enterprise going forward, it would make sense for them to bring in Nadella as its CEO. Employees, however, are reportedly pushing for Bates as they see his experience at both Cisco and Skype would better serve Microsoft than any other candidate.

    In any case, we’re likely to find out who Ballmer’s replacement is within the next few months. Let’s just hope they don’t choose Stephen Elop.

    [Image: Wikimedia Commons]

  • Microsoft Wants To Replace Ballmer Before The End Of 2013 [Report]

    Microsoft Wants To Replace Ballmer Before The End Of 2013 [Report]

    In late August, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that he would retire within the next 12 months. That gives him until August 2014 to hand the reigns over to somebody else. While that could certainly happen, it seems that Microsoft’s board wants to get him out the door much sooner.

    Bloomberg reports that Microsoft’s board is working tirelessly to replace Ballmer before the end of the year. It’s been almost two months since the announcement of Ballmer’s retirement, however, and the board hasn’t named a single nominee yet.

    Despite its reluctance to name any nominees, a recent report said the board had put Ford CEO Alan Mulally at the top of its shortlist. Mulally has seemingly denied being interested in the position at Microsoft, but his current contract with Ford allows him to consider other positions despite being expected to stay with Ford until 2014.

    Besides Mulally, Microsoft’s board is also looking at a number of other potential candidates. Bloomberg names eBay CEO John Donahoe and Nokia CEO Stephen Elop as candidates, but the former has reportedly told the board to not consider him. That leaves Elop as the only other candidate besides Mulally that we actually know about. He’s also one of the more likely candidates considering Microsoft’s recent purchase of Nokia’s devices and services business.

    So, when will we finally hear who the next CEO of Microsoft is? Well, the board will have to choose a replacement first, and then negotiate with said replacement on matters of compensation. If the replacement comes from outside the company, they will also have to negotiate departure terms with the company the replacement is leaving. After all of that is said and done, the board will then announce the replacement.

    Whether that announcement comes late this year or early next remains to be seen. All we know for sure is that the board and shareholders don’t want Ballmer sticking around for another year.

    [Image: Andy Caddy/YouTube]

  • Ford CEO Alan Mulally To Replace Steve Ballmer At Microsoft [Rumor]

    It was announced last month that Steve Ballmer would be stepping down as CEO of Microsoft after 33 years with the company and 13 years as its CEO. Since then, there’s been no word out of Microsoft’s board of directors regarding a replacement. Some thought that the company would internally replace Ballmer, but a new rumor has named an unlikely candidate as the top contender.

    All Things D reports that a source close to Microsoft has said that Ford CEO Alan Mulally is being seriously considered for the role of Microsoft’s new CEO. In fact, Mulally is now at the top of the board’s list of potential candidates.

    Before we go further, we must first ask – who is Mulally? He’s a graduate of the University of Kansas and MIT with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and a Master’s degree in Management. He was previously the EVP of Boeing and the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes before becoming the CEO of Ford in 2006.

    When he first joined Ford, he immediately helped the troubled automaker turn around and make its first quarterly profit in two years. From there, his leadership led to Ford being the only Detroit-based automaker that didn’t have to ask for a government loan to stay afloat during the recession of 2008.

    So, it’s apparent that Mulally has experience in turning things around. Microsoft certainly needs that at the moment, and Mulally’s engineering experience would certainly come in handy at a tech company like Microsoft. Even so, there’s one major obstacle standing in the way – Ford says that Mulally will stay with Ford until at least 2014. He certainly is allowed to move to other companies, but Mulally himself told All Things D that he isn’t leaving anytime soon.

    He may say that now, but the All Things D report notes that Mulally is a bit more receptive to the idea of moving to Microsoft now than he was earlier this month. Part of that is due to his desire to move back to Seattle. He also has experience with Microsoft as he advised Ballmer on the company’s most recent restructuring.

    While Mulally may be a top contender for the post of Microsoft CEO, there’s a number of other potential candidates that may just win out. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop may take the position as Microsoft just recently purchased the company’s devices and services division. Another potential candidate is Microsoft’s own Tony Bates who previously served as CEO of Skype.

    There’s likely more candidates than we know about, but we won’t know for sure until the board announces something. It has a year to make a decision, but it will want to announce a replacement before the end of Microsoft’s fiscal year next March. We’ll probably have our replacement by that time.

    [Image: Wikimedia Commons]

  • Alan Mulally Could Run Microsoft

    Alan Mulally Could Run Microsoft

    After Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer announced his plan to retire within the next 12 months, the company has been trying to figure out the best candidate to replace him. According to a new report, it could be Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally.

    According to AllThingsD, Microsoft and Mulally are in serious talks, though no formal contract negotiations have begun.

    In early September Mulally denied leaving Ford, but Reuters reported the board at Ford gave Mulally the option to leave earlier than his contract states.

    For some, Mulally may not be the best choice because he has no high-tech connections. However, Mulally has experience saving companies, seen during his time as executive vice president of Boeing and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, as well as his current job as CEO of Ford.

    Mulally already has some connection to Microsoft. While Ballmer was trying to create a new management structure for Microsoft, Mulally was one of his close advisers. Microsoft shifted from working in silos to working together. Ballmer’s “One Microsoft” has many similarities to Mulally’s “One Ford.” Both have every arm of the company working together toward the same goal.

    Ballmer himself sang Mulally’s praises not too long ago. In an article Ballmer wrote for Time magazine in 2009, he said of Mulally, “Changing industries can upset even the most seasoned executive. Not Alan. He understands the fundamentals of business success as well as any business leader I know.”

    Mulally wasn’t the first name thrown around to take over as CEO of Microsoft. When Ballmer first announced his retirement, the front runner was Nokia CEO Stephon Elop, who also happened to be a former Microsoft executive. The rumor around Elop was heightened when Microsoft acquired Nokia, and in turn, Elop.

    Another top contender is Microsoft executive and former CEO of Skype, Tony Bates. Pivotal CEO and former Microsoft executive, Paul Maritz, is also in contention for the spot.

    Mulally may have personal reasons to take the Microsoft job. His wife, friends, and home are all in Washington.

    Neither Microsoft, Ford, nor Mulally have yet to make a comment.

    I guess only time will tell who will be the new CEO of Microsoft.

    [Image via YouTube.]