Fortune on CNN/Money.com has a rogue's gallery of photos online today. The gallery features 11 executives at Apple, each of whom is considered in one way or another to be a possible candidate to replace Steve Jobs if he steps down. If you want to skip the gallery, the full story is on one page at Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog.My personal favorites for "The Next Steve" are Ron Johnson (Senior VP, Retail) or Scott Forstall (Senior VP, iPhone Software, pictured at right). Why? Johnson is charismatic and has established Apple as a retail powerhouse. Forstall, because he is as anal as Jobs about interface design and kinda looks like "I'm a Mac" actor Justin Long.
After you take a look at the article, come back to TUAW and vote for your favorite candidate for the next Apple CEO.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
6-24-2008 @ 3:08PM
Josh said...
Isn't Jonathan Ive already believed to be the chosen successor? If Apple is to succeed without Jobs, I think it has to be him. He seems to have the same aura about him that Jobs does, commands respect, and is a design genius to boot.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:57PM
Alex Paris said...
Jon is the presumptive successor but we have to make sure he has enough super delegates to clench the nomination for successor.
IVE in 20...[whenever-jobs-retires]
6-24-2008 @ 5:04PM
superted said...
Have always thought a lot of Ive, hope he does take over - he's probably responsible for Apple come back as much as Steve Jobs with the designs he's pumped out. (Although those Braun comparison shots were highly suspect!)
6-24-2008 @ 5:47PM
Andrew said...
Not to take anything away from Ive but while hes a brilliant designer he may not be that good of a CEO. Ive may not even want to be CEO - he's a designer and probably wants to continue designing award winning products. He would also have to pick up were Jobs left off with all the keynotes and I don't think he's very comfortable on stage.
Scott Forstall seems comfortable on stage - not as charismatic as Jobs but he seems to know his stuff when it comes to software and business.
Cook and Schiller are capable but aren't they the same age as Jobs?
6-25-2008 @ 2:44AM
G said...
Jonathan Ive is a genius, but the last thing he needs is to be saddled down with day-to-day business crap. He is obviously kicking much ass in his current capacity. I wouldn't take the job away from him if he really wanted to stop his hands-on design work, but that's exactly what would happen.
And after Steve Jobs' interesting point about young companies started by ideas & engineers gradually turning into old, irrelevant companies in the hands of "the salesmen" (guess who?), the last thing I see happening is Ron Johnson, CEO.
I'd wager on Forstall, with Ive gaining even more design freedom. Could be interesting.
6-24-2008 @ 3:14PM
motech said...
i vote for me . .
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:31PM
Cycomachead said...
No, don't you know it's me?
It will be whoever is willing to take a $1 paycheck.
I would have but my money on Schiller a year or 2 ago, but now Forstall has a chance. I don't see Ive as running the company, but he could very well be second in command. Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer both have chances.
But you know, I doubt Jobs is even sure, though maybe we'll decide for him. ;-) I don't think steve is ready to go yet, he's not even eligible for retirement, though he certainly has the money. I think we've taken his illness a bit to far this time.
6-24-2008 @ 3:19PM
mare said...
You forgot to put Steve Ballmer on that list...
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:20PM
edtorious said...
how about Justin Long? ;-D
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:41PM
Bioretention said...
Nah, John Hodgman. In reality... my money's on Forstall.
http://www.filterra.com
6-24-2008 @ 3:26PM
mark said...
How about that stoner kid from the Dell commercials? I'm sure Steve would like to see his hippy legacy carry on.
Reply
6-25-2008 @ 10:42AM
Ed said...
Or Ellen Feiss...
6-24-2008 @ 3:32PM
fishbert said...
Oh god... not Forstall.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:33PM
Cycomachead said...
Oh yeah:
What about Al Gore? That'd be thinking different.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:40PM
Matt said...
Forstall WWDC keynote talk was fantastic. The bit about the task manger on Windows Mobile was great.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:41PM
Darren said...
It better be someone from NeXT with a deep history in NEXTSTEP and OS X. Forstall probably fits the bill well.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 3:55PM
Dom said...
Certainly won't be Ive. He's an out and out designer, not a manager. My money's on Forstall - he's like Steve Jobs without the evil streak.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 4:01PM
Graham Speed said...
Jonathan Ive, design genius. And a British CEO of Apple would be awesome.
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 4:06PM
DrWho said...
There is no way it will be Ive - is everyone smoking crack?
Reply
6-24-2008 @ 4:07PM
Alex Paris said...
IM sorry but Scott forstall is about as interesting as a pile of wet sticks. If forestall becomes CEO i will switch to windows. haha naw but serisouly... scott is boring, the next CEO needs to have personality.
My first choice is Jon Ive, 2nd would probably be a tie between, Phill shiller and Ron Johnson.
"Do you want to make sugar water for the rest of your life or do you want to change the world"
but i dont want to think of an apple sans steve jobs yet...
Reply