Microsoft is reportedly about to end its five-month search for a tech-savvy heavy-hitter to head the world’s largest software company.<br /><br />Sources said it is set to appoint Satya Nadella, the head of its cloud-computing and enterprise division, as the next chief executive.<br /><br />Th 46-year-old has worked for Microsoft for 22 years. <br /><br />Current CEO Steve Ballmer plans to retire as soon as a new boss is named.<br /><br />He was reelected to Microsoft’s board in November, but it’s not clear how long he will remain there after retirement.<br /><br />At the same time co-founder Bill Gates may step aside as chairman and be replaced by lead independent director John Thompson, sources have said. Gates would remain a director. <br /><br />If Nadella is picked it would make him the most powerful Indian-born tech executive in the world .<br /><br />Born in 1967 and educated in India and the United States, Nadella’s tech career started at internet software pioneer Sun Microsystems. <br /><br />He joined Microsoft in 1992 and quickly climbed the corporate ladder with leading roles in the Office and Bing search-engine teams.<br /><br />He was promoted to run the company’s server and tools unit in 2011. That unit now forms the backbone of Microsoft’s cloud-computing platform, which Nadella runs under his official title of executive vice president, cloud and enterprise.<br /><br />“He’s a solid choice,” offering continuity of strategy and proven execution, said Sid Parakh, an analyst at fund firm McAdams Wright Ragen.<br /><br />The choice could disappoint some investors who want a more radical transformation at the software giant.<br /> “<br />While many on the Street are now expecting Mr. Nadella to get the CEO spot, we believe filling this position with a core Microsoft insider will disappoint those hoping for a fresh strategic approach (e.g. potential breakup of enterprise/consumer, Xbox spin off) an outside executive could have brought to the table,” FBR analyst Daniel Ives said in a research note, adding that innovation and fresh strategies were needed.<br /><br />“With that said, we believe Mr. Nadella’s prior roles in the Online Services Division, Business Division and most recently as president of the Server and Tools business position him as a strong internal candidate with a broad set of knowledge around Microsoft’s massive product portfolio,” Ives wrote.
