SEATTLE — The board member leading Microsoft's search for a new chief executive said Tuesday he expects an appointment to be made early next year, the first time the board has been so specific on timing.
The world's biggest software company is taking longer than most had expected to find a new leader since Steve Ballmer announced his retirement in August, although the company gave itself 12 months to find his successor.
"I expect we'll complete our work in the early part of 2014," Microsoft lead independent director John Thompson said in a blog post on the company's website.
Thompson is leading the four-man committee to find a new CEO, which includes co-founder and chairman Bill Gates.
Sources familiar with the search process have told Reuters that the committee is down to a "handful" of candidates, including Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, at least one external candidate from the technology industry and one or two internal candidates.
"We identified over 100 possible candidates, talked with several dozen and then focused our energy intensely on a group of about 20 individuals," said Thompson in the blog. "As this group has narrowed, we've done deeper research and investigation, including with the full board."
Intense speculation has surrounded Mulally as a leading candidate. He has not denied interest in the job, but has repeatedly said he enjoys working at Ford, where he is slated to remain through 2014.
Last week it was reported that Qualcomm executive Steve Mollenkopf was a leading candidate for the job, but the chip maker forestalled that by making him CEO.
"It's a complex job. I don't think it's surprising that it is taking some time to try to find the right person," said Kirk Materne, an analyst at Evercore Partners.