????直到上周,，很多人對于高通公司（Qualcomm）首席運(yùn)營官史蒂夫?莫倫科普夫都知之甚少,。上周四，彭博社（Bloomberg）報(bào)道稱,，在無線行業(yè)擔(dān)任高管多年的莫倫科普夫成為微軟（Microsoft）下一任首席執(zhí)行官候選人,，其它候選人還包括：諾基亞（Nokia）前首席執(zhí)行官史蒂芬?埃洛普，福特（Ford）首席執(zhí)行官艾倫?穆拉利,，以及現(xiàn)任微軟高管薩蒂亞?納德拉和托尼?貝茨等人,。次日，高通宣布莫倫科普夫?qū)⒔尤问紫瘓?zhí)行官一職,，當(dāng)然是在高通,，而不是微軟。

????在外人看來,，高通發(fā)布這個(gè)消息有些突然,，也有些令人意外。不過，高通現(xiàn)任首席執(zhí)行官保羅?雅各布稱,，這項(xiàng)繼任計(jì)劃已經(jīng)籌備多時(shí),，只不過提前了幾年。雅各布向《財(cái)富》（Fortune）表示：“（莫倫科普夫）是這個(gè)職位的不二人選,。他效力高通多年,，對高通的企業(yè)文化十分了解。他幫助我們定義了高通的企業(yè)文化,。我們之間的過渡十分平穩(wěn),。”雅各布將于明年三月卸任首席執(zhí)行官一職,，不過他將繼續(xù)擔(dān)任高通執(zhí)行董事長,。

????雅各布在接受《財(cái)富》電話采訪時(shí)不愿提及微軟。不過,，很顯然,，莫倫科普夫與微軟的對話使高通的首席執(zhí)行官繼任計(jì)劃變得緊迫起來。高通對莫倫科普夫的任命引人注目,，不光是因?yàn)槟獋惪破辗驅(qū)⒊蔀楦咄ü境闪⒔?0年來的第三任首席執(zhí)行官,，還因?yàn)樗膬晌磺叭味际茄鸥鞑技易宓某蓡T。高通創(chuàng)始人兼首任CEO歐文?雅各布于2005年卸任,，保羅?雅各布隨后子承父業(yè),。

????那么莫倫科普夫有何過人之處？他非常年輕,，只有44歲,，而且整個(gè)職業(yè)生涯都在高通度過。莫倫科普夫擁有電氣工程學(xué)學(xué)位,。（他在“功率測量與估算,、多制式傳輸系統(tǒng)和無線通信收發(fā)技術(shù)”等領(lǐng)域獲得過多項(xiàng)專利。）擔(dān)任芯片部門負(fù)責(zé)人期間,，他幫助高通一舉成為全球最大的移動芯片供應(yīng)商,。換句話說，除了雅各布家族成員,，莫倫科普夫是最有希望執(zhí)掌高通的人,。

????首席執(zhí)行官的穩(wěn)定更替對高通管理層和董事會至關(guān)重要。它同時(shí)也反映了高通的企業(yè)文化：高通的大部分高管都在這家公司奮斗了很多年,。當(dāng)然,，“沉穩(wěn)”這個(gè)特點(diǎn)同樣也滲透到了高通的公司戰(zhàn)略上：高通作為一家芯片企業(yè)，雖然也在竭力拓展新的市場,，但它依然維持著相當(dāng)廣闊的市場份額（和收入來源）,。高通避免在零售領(lǐng)域拋頭露面,，但它不又甘心只做一家供應(yīng)商，而是選擇成為整個(gè)行業(yè)的基石,，從而從整個(gè)移動通信科技領(lǐng)域獲利,。高通芯片廣泛應(yīng)用于包括蘋果（Apple）、三星（Samsung）,、LG在內(nèi)的大量主流智能手機(jī),。

????這意味著高通非常在意自己略顯呆板但又充滿創(chuàng)新的企業(yè)文化。高通為了進(jìn)軍下一個(gè)充滿商機(jī)的市場,，在吸引和挽留人才方面可謂不遺余力,。（請參看：《包羅萬象，無所不能,，看高通在嵌入式芯片領(lǐng)域大展身手》一文,。）

????雖然高通的突然任命最初讓人震驚，但觀察人士認(rèn)為,，莫倫科普夫掌舵后高通的公司戰(zhàn)略將基本保持平穩(wěn)。而這一點(diǎn)無疑可以從莫倫科普夫的背景中看出,。

????If you hadn't heard much about Qualcomm (QCOM) COO Steve Mollenkopf until last week, you're not alone. On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft (MSFT) was seriously considering the longtime wireless executive for its top job, along with a long list of potential successors, including former Nokia head Stephen Elop, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, and current Microsoft execs Satya Nadella and Tony Bates. The following morning, it was announced that Mollenkopf would indeed ascend to the CEO spot -- but at Qualcomm, not Microsoft.

????From the outside, the announcement came swiftly and unexpectedly. According to Qualcomm's Paul Jacobs, however, the succession plan has been in the works for a while and was only sped up by a couple of years. "He's just the right guy," Jacobs told Fortune. "He's been in the Qualcomm culture for so long. He's helped define it. This is a very smooth transition plan." Jacobs will step down in March and will remain on board as executive chairman.

????Jacobs wouldn't utter the name "Microsoft" on the call. But it's clear that whatever talks Mollenkopf and Microsoft were engaged in, it added a sense of urgency to Qualcomm's succession plan. The move is notable not just because Mollenkopf will be just the third CEO in Qualcomm's nearly 30-year history, but he'll also be the first leader whose last name isn't Jacobs. The company's founding chief executive, Irwin Jacobs, served until 2005. Then his son Paul took over.

????So what's so special about Mollenkopf? He's young -- just 44 years old -- but has spent his entire career at Qualcomm. His background is in electrical engineering. (He holds patents in "power estimation and measurement, multi-standard transmitter system, and wireless communication transceiver technology.") As head of the company's chipset business, he helped build Qualcomm into the world's largest wireless chip supplier. In other words, he's the closest thing to a Jacobs family member that Qualcomm could have at the helm.

????That continuity is extremely important for Qualcomm's management team and board. It's also reflective of the company's culture: Many of Qualcomm's other top executives have also been there for decades. That preference for stability seeps into its business strategy, too: Though the chipmaker constantly tries to push its components into new markets, it has maintained a sizable presence (and revenue stream) by shunning the retail limelight and choosing to be a supplier, profiting off the efforts of nearly the entire technology industry, rather than a single vendor. Qualcomm chips are found in many top smartphones, including those from Apple (AAPL), Samsung, and LG Electronics.

????Which means Qualcomm is more concerned with maintaining its nerdy, innovative culture; attracting and retaining the right talent at its San Diego-based headquarters and elsewhere; and, most importantly, pushing for its next big market. (Hint: pretty much anything and everything Qualcomm can embed its chips into.)

????Despite the initial surprise of the announcement, onlookers expect little shift in Qualcomm's strategy with Mollenkopf at the helm. And that, perhaps, is the most striking aspect of the announcement -- and Mollenkopf's background.