Microsoft Corp is considering Ericsson AB's Chief Executive Hans Vestberg as the successor of the soon retiring CEO Steve Ballmer. Vestberg comes as a surprise for wall street analysts who have discussed possbile candidates for the job. The candidates ranged from Microsoft insiders like Satya Nadellaand, Tony Bates and several candidates outside of the company such as Ford Motor Co.'s Alan Mulally, who took himself off the list.