The former Nokia boss is in the race for the CEO position

Sep 3, 2013 11:28 GMT  ·  By

Outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has confirmed in a short statement that Stephen Elop, the former Nokia boss who’s now joining the software giant as part of the handset business buyout, is in the race of the vacant position.

Stephen Elop, a former Microsoftie who left the company to lead Nokia, has moved from an external candidate to an internal one, Ballmer told The Seattle Times.

“Stephen will go from external [candidate] to internal,” Ballmer said. “The board will continue [to look at] all appropriate candidates through that process.”

At this point, all candidates have equal chances, Ballmer explained, as the company is looking into every single name on the short list. And still, Elop seems to have what it takes to take over from Steve Ballmer and complete the transformation plan the outgoing CEO started back in July.

More details on Elop’s return to Microsoft are available here.