Microsoft Adds Kevin Turner on Internal CEO Candidates

Turner is joining two other internal candidates identified to be VP for Business Development Tony Bates and VP of Cloud Enterprise Satya Nadella. The external candidates are namely former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and Ford Motors CEO Alan Mullaly.

The information of Turner being added on the list was disclosed by sources of Bloomberg. The final list was reportedly discussed by the board with executive VP for Online Services Qi Lu and executive VP for Operating Systems Terry Myerson. They cut the list from 40 to five.

Turner joined the Redmond, Washington-based company in 2005. Aside from being COO, he also supervises the company’s sales force. Prior to joining Microsoft, he was working for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and even became the CEO of Sam’s Club.

Conversely, though the list is now shorter, it isn’t the official short list yet. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the search committee is still on the move in refining their list.

The software giant is reportedly interviewing and screening external candidates Mulally and Elop.

In choosing Steve Ballmer’s replacement, the search committee and the board has to consider specific qualities that will help the company make a full turnaround shift.

Bill George, a professor at Harvard Business School and a director at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Exxon Mobil Corp. told Bloomberg, “Microsoft needs a very strong, transformative leader and while I usually prefer insiders, at this moment they very likely need to go outside.” He added, “An insider may not be able to make the difficult big changes Microsoft needs and get other insiders to follow him.”