The Ford Motor Company board of directors is setting up a meeting to discuss about the future plans of its current CEO Alan Mullaly.
On Sunday, board director Edsel Ford II confirmed in an interview that CEO Mullaly told them that he is staying with the company until 2014. However, analysts were skeptic because Mullaly has been playing it safe when answering questions about the CEO role Microsoft is offering. His responses were considered “non-denial denials” as he wasn’t being firm and direct with his words.
However, on a Reuters report Wednesday, it seems that the automaker wants to secure its future whether Mullaly chooses to move to the software giant or at least offer their “turnaround man” something that can make him stay further. Mullaly doesn’t have a contract with the automaker so he can easily leave in his desire.
Mulally, 68, is one of the few candidates and a strong contender as replacement for Microsoft outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer who will be retiring in less than a year.
However, even though Mulally is a member of the board, it is not an assurance that he will be joining the meeting.
According to sources, directors of the company intend to raise the topic with him soon, but not later than next week.
One source close to Ford’s board told Reuters, “It's drowning out the rest of the story. People don't write about Mustang, they don't write about earnings, they write about Mulally.”
Microsoft, declined to say anything about its search for its next CEO. A spokesperson of Ford, on the other hand, reiterated that Mulally will be the company’s CEO until 2014, but the board would welcome chances of him leaving earlier that than.
One person close to Mulally said in the report, “He has done what he needs to at Ford.”
That suggests that even if he doesn’t get hired as Ballmer’s successor, he is unlikely to stay with Ford further than 2014, said the sources.
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