After Ford chief Alan Mulally opted out of the race for Microsoft CEO post, Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg is being billed as the newest frontrunner.
Bloomberg, citing sources briefed on the CEO search, reported that Microsofts board is considering Ericsson AB Chief Executive Office Hans Vestberg as a replacement to outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer.
Vestberg, a former elite-level handball player, has been with Ericsson since 1998. Before becoming the CEO, he has served as firm's chief financial officer from 2007 to 2009.
However the report added that it was not exactly a done deal. Previous track records suggest that Vestberg's Ericsson has been lagging behind Chinese phone makers such as Huawei, and therefore Microsoft might consider someone with more successful track record and experience in the consumer sector.
"I don't think it's very likely that they will choose Vestberg," said Bengt Nordstrom, head of Swedish telecoms consultancy Northstream.
"It's more logical that they will find a U.S. leader, from their network of owners, board members and experienced CEOs with a software, enterprise and media background. There's enough with talent and experience in the U.S. market."
In December, the Microsoft board said it expects to select Ballmer's replacement in early 2014. In a related note, board member John W. Thompson said that the company had listed more than 100 probables for the top job. Reportedly, the 100 list was whittled down to about 20 people recently.
In a blog post, Thompson emphasized the need for a CEO possessing good technology credentials and "an ability to lead a highly technical organization and work with top technical talent."
Besides Vestberg, another contender for the post was Mulally, but the Ford chief recently cleared the rumors, saying, "I would like to end the Microsoft speculation because I have no other plans to do anything other than serve Ford."
Microsoft cloud-computing chief Satya Nadella, former Skype chief Tony Bates, and former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop are also on the list of probables who may succeed Ballmer.
