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Microsoft considering Qualcomm's COO as its next CEO

by Mark Tyson on 13 December 2013, 11:43

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qab6hn

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A new report by Bloomberg suggests that Steve Mollenkopf, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Qualcomm, is now on the list of possible candidates for serious consideration to replace Steve Ballmer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Microsoft.

We last reported on the search for a new CEO at Microsoft just over a month ago when there were five clear front runners for the job at the top of Microsoft. These had been whittled down from a list of around 40 names. The front runners at that time included; Stephen Elop - ex Nokia CEO, Alan Mulally - Ford Motor Co chief, Tony Bates - former Skype CEO and Satya Nadella - Microsoft cloud and enterprise chief. At the time Elop was the favourite to succeed.

New Microsoft CEO to be announced before the year is out?

Back to today's report and "people familiar with the matter," have apparently whispered the name Mollenkopf into Bloomberg's ear. Also interestingly the same people, who asked not to be identified because the process is confidential, said the decision might be made as early as this year.

Steve Mollenkopf is, as mentioned in the intro, is the COO at Qualcomm, where he started work as an Engineer in 1994. Qualcomm is the world's largest maker of chips for mobiles. Bloomberg cleverly points out that Mollenkopf "heads a division that has built products that are at the heart of many of the world’s leading smartphones, an area where Microsoft is weak". So as a candidate he could surely bring a lot of this expertise to play to help sail Microsoft safely into its devices and service future. Mollenkopf earned around $14.2 million working at Qualcomm last year says Bloomberg.

The search for the new CEO was recently said by Bill Gates to be a complex process. Recent indications have shown a shift in favour away from Ford's Alan Mulally. It was already known Mulally had various contractual ties which might get in the way but the Bloomberg sources for today's story also noted that "his candidacy has faded amid concerns about his lack of technology experience". However Mulally hasn't been ruled out of all scenarios at Microsoft.



HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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14.2 Million ! nobody deserves an annual paycheck like that, it's absolutely disgusting.
DemonHighwayman
14.2 Million ! nobody deserves an annual paycheck like that, it's absolutely disgusting.

…until someone is prepared to pay me that, then it's okay :)

It might not all be cash - they usually factor in share options, pension, etc. Given Qualcomm's success I would bet much of it is shares.
DemonHighwayman
14.2 Million ! nobody deserves an annual paycheck like that, it's absolutely disgusting.

How is it disgusting? Is it because you arent earning that much? (sorry to make a wild guess, apologies if you do :P) .

The company (qualcomm) is raking it in and has been going strength to strength so I think he can justify ANY amount of money because quite frankly the company can afford so much which is likely partly due to his work (or as in most places, the work of the lower level is amplified to the top level so he gets all the credit).

Either way until the company loses money OR is a public company then I think he can have any amount he wants :)
An update news release direct from Qualcomm: Qualcomm will promote COO Steve Mollenkopf to replace Paul Jacobs as CEO

http://www.qualcomm.com/media/releases/2013/12/13/qualcomm-names-steve-mollenkopf-ceo-and-president
Hicks12
How is it disgusting? Is it because you arent earning that much? (sorry to make a wild guess, apologies if you do :P) .

The company (qualcomm) is raking it in and has been going strength to strength so I think he can justify ANY amount of money because quite frankly the company can afford so much which is likely partly due to his work (or as in most places, the work of the lower level is amplified to the top level so he gets all the credit).

Either way until the company loses money OR is a public company then I think he can have any amount he wants :)

Answering your first question: Yes !

Doesn't matter if he has single handidly tripled Acorn's (or whatever they are called now)profit margin. When in the UK as well as anywhere else in the west, there are people earning less than the minimum wage just to scrape by, for working over 40hrs a week and grafting way harder than any CEO or COO or any other other hyphenated bull**** title person. Then yes something seems out of balance and is disgusting !

There can not be anything he has possibly done to deserve that kind of reward for his job.