Microsoft ended the quarter with a profit of 6,560 million dollars (4,790 million), representing a slight increase of 3 % in a year. The owner of the Windows operating system, the tablet Surface and Xbox console increased revenue 12% to $ 24.520 million (17.904 million euros). But what matters most at this moment is how Wall Street advances the process for electing the relief of Steve Ballmer.
Ballmer attributes this increase in turnover to investment in new devices and services. Windows sales fell 3 %, reflecting a weak market for personal computers. However, the Surface doubled, to $ 893 million, and sold 7.4 million Xbox units, of which 3.9 million were the new model.
Nothing new for now on succession. Technological announced on August 23 that Ballmer will leave the daily management within 12 months. Thus began the search for the new CEO within and outside the ranks of Redmond. Were identified over a hundred candidates list was reduced to twenty. The idea is to close the selection process earlier this year.
Among the favorites out Satya Nadella, the new organization that is leading the division for companies and product data management. It also quotes Tony Bates, who joined the company after buying Skype and is responsible for strategic issues. They are joined from outside Stephen Elop, the newly acquired Nokia, and Hans Vestberg, Ericsson.
Alan Mulally was the one that sounded two weeks ago but said he had no intention of leaving Ford Motor. Wall Street watchers contacts within your board of directors say they already have chosen and expected to be announced soon. So this time the presentation of the results did not focus so much on the numbers but on a name.
As Bill Gates said at the last meeting of shareholders, is a very difficult gap to fill because it is needed while a person with experience in managing a model of complex business and the ability to lead an organization that depends on the technology. Gates was the first CEO of Microsoft, Ballmer second.
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