The Microsoft board has publicly stated that there will be a new Microsoft CEO announced during the first quarter of 2014.  The ongoing vetting process to replace outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer has already lead the company to pare down it’s list of more than 100 potential executive candidates, for what will become the third CEO in Microsoft history following Ballmer and Bill Gates. Microsoft has already “talked with several dozen” executives and is now focused on a short list of about twenty candidates according to board member John W. Thomspon who is reported as saying that the succession process is now “moving ahead well.”