Apple COO Tim Cook is executive search firm Spencer Stuart's first choice for the open CEO spot at General Motors, a reader tells us.
Whether the gossip is true or not, GM would be lucky to have Tim. He led Apple brilliantly for six months this year as interim CEO during Steve Jobs's medical leave.
GM may have to pay up, though. Thanks to Apple's strong stock surge, Tim earned about $14 million in total compensation this year.
Tim would be GM's second C-level hire from the tech sector. Earlier this month, Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell announced he would become GM's CFO and vice-chairman.
Heads up! This is just one reader passing on an anonymous tip. We're publishing it because it's interesting and plausible, even if entirely unconfirmed.
Here's our tipster:
I saw your recent post on Tim Cook at Apple. I don't know if he has been contacted yet but he is the top candidate that Spencer Stuart has identified as the next CEO of GM. I have an inside source at Spencer Stuart.
[Interim CEO Edward E. Whitacre] wants the candidate to come from a company known for operational excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction and in addition he is looking for someone that has turnaround experience. It also doesn't hurt that [Tim] has been able to work with Jobs. Whitacre does want to stay on as Chairman. Also, Cook has been the key link to AT&T and should understand the culture that Whitacre, [a former AT&T CEO] built.
Will be interesting to see if he would leave Apple for this. I don't know him but if he wants to be a CEO it does seem he needs to leave with Jobs back. Most interesting will be to see a CEO from Apple and a CFO from Microsoft.
