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Editorial - Those Who Might Replace Steve Jobs
by , 3:10 PM EST, February 23rd, 2007
The consensus of analysts is that Mr. Jobs, despite the stock options probe, is not likely to be forced out of Apple. Other former executives at Apple are under close scrutiny by the federal government, but not Mr. Jobs so far as we know.
Just as an exercise, who might be asked to fill in for Steve if he were forced out of the company? At least until a successor could be found. After all, there must be a succession plan. Who's on it?
- Timothy Cook - Mr. Cook is the ultimate detail man. He's generally soft spoken but can show a temper, as any executive can, when greatly annoyed. He was brought in to manage the procurement of parts, production, and generally oversee sales. Tim is not a man of great charisma nor even the visible, passionate leadership that Apple would need. He would stay where he is, doing a brilliant, behind the scenes job.
- Phil Schiller - Mr. Schiller is an easy man to underestimate. While oval and jovial in keynotes, Mr. Schiller commands an excellent grasp of Apple products and how to talk to the public about them. He can incite subordinates to action with his passion, and he has a good technical and academic background. He knows how to look after Apple's interests. He would probably be the choice for not only interim but permanent CEO.
- Sina Tamaddon - Little is known about him. Unproven and unfamilar. But he's risen to senior VP at Apple and stayed there for a long time.
- Eric Schmidt - Mr. Schmidt has the industry experience and charisma to step up and hold the temporary CEO position until someone else is found. How long he could remain the CEO of both Google and Apple is problematic. It wouldn't be wise, even if possible.
- Avie Tevanian - Mr. Tevanian has the age, wisdom, and technical savvy to step in for the short term. He retired from Apple in March 2006, and the question is, would he return for a short term to manage the company? He might with the promise that it would only be for a year or so.
That's my short list of candidates for an interim-CEO. In the long run, I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Phil Schiller took the reigns of the company if Mr. Jobs were to leave or retire. The CEO position requires someone with vision and intimate familiarity with the Apple culture as well as someone who can wade through the intricacies of partnerships and gauge the best interests of Apple. I can't think of an outsider with those credentials held by Mr. Schiller.
Observer Comments
Fri Feb 23, 2007 7:25 pm Subject: Historical nominees
Enough with the insiders... How about historical figures that would be great as Apple CEO?
Benito Mussilini - Not only could keynote-goers yell "Moose! Moose!" as he takes the stage, he was an excellent operations guy, making the trains of Italy run on time.
Richard Ramirez - Could follow in Steve Jobs' early footsteps... Killing the modern day likes of OpenDoc and Newton would be easy for the Nightstalker. Bonus connection is that after Ramirez was sentenced to death, he shouted "I'm going to Disneyland." (Jobs is largest individual shareholder of Disney)
Ronald Reagan - Could deny knowledge of the details of anything shady that goes on underneath him.
John Lennon - Anything that goes badly could be blamed on his wife.
Napolean Bonapart - Rumor has it he executed a colonel is his army for bringing him the wrong brand of bottled water.
All teasing aside, Jobs has done a phenomenal job as Apple CEO, but his downfall will be nothing short of a Shakespearean tragedy.
QuoteGuest wrote:
There is something that could cause Steve to be forced out of Apple, regardless of how the options probe turns out. Sp, the so called "consensus" is not accurate. In fact, that options investigation is pretty minor in comparison. You are actually witnesing the fallout of this other "something" in the form of all the bizarre and angry behavior, "rare joint appearances" with other industry celebs, and a spate of rapid fire copying and lawsuits.
Let's hope Steve gets his act together and does the right thing, before he sinks himself, and perhaps Apple in the process. It's not too late but it's pretty darn close to being irreversible, as...well, as many already know and are passively observing.
Is there something missing in that post? It does not make sense. "Sp"? What is this "other thing"? Is this guest perhaps a psychiatrist or psychologist?
A more serious concern, I suspect, might be with Jobs' health (physical, not mental). If his health takes a turn for the worse, he might decide to retire to spend time with his family.
Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:22 pm Subject: Phil Schiller? Really?
You know I guess I've never worked for Apple like you have, but I can't say I'd particularly envision that. In my limited exposure to the man he didn't seem particularly sincere or charismatic. He does have a science background and obviously a lot of Apple knowledge, but I just don't see him as Apple CEO.
Who would I nominate? Me of course. Seriously 
As long as I get to keep Ive on the team I'd be set.
Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:24 pm Subject: Shakespeare!
QuoteBosco wrote:
All teasing aside, Jobs has done a phenomenal job as Apple CEO, but his downfall will be nothing short of a Shakespearean tragedy.
"O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times."
You may be right Bosco. These things often have a way of ending dramatically.
Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:26 pm Subject: Dare I say his name?
Actually, I do not think that would be a bad choice. When the guy is not running for President, he is quite charsmatic.
Woz, however, would be a horrible choice. First, the guy does not know how to keep his mouth shut. Second, he is always publically going on record saying something bad about Apple or Steve. Third, as great an engineer he may have been, he was no visionary. The guy didn't even want to leave HP to start Apple, and offered his computers designs to HP (which was not interested). Fourth, he seems like a pretty nice guy, which might be alright in many roles, but isn't what Apple needs to run the company.
Jobs treats Woz right: give the guy a small salary, invite him to keynotes, give him free product at Apple stores, and take his phone calls every once in a while.
QuoteSir Harry Flashman wrote:
Al Gore.
Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:51 pm Subject: Regarding Al Gore
QuoteTerrin wrote:
Actually, I do not think that would be a bad choice. When the guy is not running for President, he is quite charsmatic.
In addition he has smarts and is a visionary. They joke about him inventing the internet, which of course he didn't, but he was a big factor in getting it funded.
"Our democracy, our constitutional framework is really a kind of software for harnessing the creativity and political imagination for all of our people. The American democratic system was an early political version of Napster. "
Al Gore
QuoteAnonymous wrote:
Bring him back! worked with the other original Steve....
Not really. From what I gathered, Woz was/is not a very good businessman nor much of a leader. After leaving Apple, Jobs founded two companies--one went through the roof (Pixar). So far, Woz hasn't done very much.
If I recall correctly, early on, Woz opposed the Mac project. I don't think that he was much interested in a computer "for the rest of us."
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