Microsoft’s Next CEO could be Satya Nadella - their Cloud Guru

Who is Satya Nadella? Find Out

Microsoft may have found its next CEO. Bloomberg on Thursday reports the executive board at Microsoft Corp. is prepared to make Satya Nadella, the company’s enterprise and cloud chief, the successor to departing CEO Steve Ballmer.

The Bloomberg report also said Microsoft’s board is also considering replacing Bill Gates as chairman of Microsoft, according to “people briefed on the process.”

The people familiar with the plan, who asked not to be named as the private process is still ongoing, also added Nadella emerged as one of the stronger candidates to replace Ballmer a few weeks ago, and that the plans aren't officially finished.

The replacement for Gates as chairman of Microsoft, meanwhile, could be the company's lead independent director John Thompson, according to the alleged sources. Thompson is currently heading the search for Microsoft's CEO.