As with any new chief executive, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella will have a packed agenda that includes filling top management roles and re-examining strategy.
Here are some of the most pressing items on Nadella’s to-do list as he reshapes Microsoft into a “mobile-first, cloud-first” company:
1. Integrate Nokia’s mobile device business.
Microsoft’s US$7.3 billion acquisition will add roughly 30,000 employees to its existing 100,000 workers – barring some likely layoffs. Nokia, the largest maker of phones that run Microsoft’s Windows Phone software, was also believed to be working on a phone that uses Google’s Android operating system prior to the acquisition. It’s unclear whether Microsoft will cancel the effort in time for the industry conference where Nokia was expected to show off the phone, the Mobile World Congress, which starts on February 24.
2. Fix Windows and unite the company’s various operating systems.
Windows 8 and the Windows 8.1 upgrade have not revived the personal computer market as expected. That’s mainly because keyboard and mouse users have found it difficult to navigate the touch-first “modern” interface, which uses large tiles. Analysts expect Microsoft to merge its Windows Phone and Windows RT operating system for lightweight tablets into one system to appease software developers and consumers alike, while restoring some familiar navigation tools to the computer-based version of Windows. Look for announcements at the Mobile World Congress or Microsoft’s own developers’ conference, Build, which starts on April 2.
