Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- Alan Mulally has vaulted to the top of the list of potential contenders to replace outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer , but the Ford CEO demurred when asked about the speculation Monday . `` I 'm very , very happy serving at Ford . We have no plans that are different than that . And also we do n't comment on speculation , '' said Mulally , who was in the city to launch Ford 's new LPG-powered Transit Connect to compete in the Hong Kong taxi market . Since Ballmer announced in August his plans to retire , Mulally 's name has risen to the top of a list that also includes former Nokia chief Stephen Elop . Microsoft announced a deal last month to purchase Nokia 's mobile phone business . Mulally was poached from Boeing Inc. in Seattle in 2006 to lead America 's second largest car company . He is widely credited with leading a turnaround of the company , which avoided bankruptcy and bailout in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis . Ford 's Mulally tops Microsoft wish list -- report . Mulally , 68 , is expected to remain as Ford CEO until the end of 2014 , the company announced last year . Ford 's Hong Kong taxi launch is part of the company 's China strategy , a market which the company has seen climb 51 % in sales in the first three quarters of this year . 8 reasons Mulally is better for Motown than Microsoft . `` China is a tremendous growth region , '' Mulally told CNN 's Patricia Wu . `` It 's already nearly 20 million units ( in total sales ) this year -- that 's compared to like 16 million in the United States and 13.5 in Europe . '' Ford sold nearly 650,000 units in China from January through September , catching up with Japanese competitors Toyota and Honda . The company still lags behind General Motors and Volkswagen , which had sales of 2.85 million and 2.35 million , respectively , in the first three quarters of this year .
Steve Ballmer : Would n't comment on reports he is a top contender as Ford CEO . Microsoft CEO Alan Mulally announced in last month he would soon retire . Mulally , a former top Microsoft executive , is credited with turning around Ford .