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Google Adds Former Ford CEO Mulally To Board

Mulally, 68, retired from Ford at the end of June. Over the winter, he was rumored to be in the running for the top job at Microsoft Corp., but it went to an internal candidate.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Google has appointed Alan Mulally, the former CEO of Ford Motor Co., to its board.

Mulally, 68, retired from Ford at the end of June. Over the winter, he was rumored to be in the running for the top job at Microsoft Corp., but it went to an internal candidate.

Google said Tuesday that Mulally's appointment was effective July 9. He will serve on the company's audit committee.

Google has developed car prototypes that drive themselves, but hasn't revealed what it plans to do with the technology in the long term. In announcing Mulally's appointment, it didn't mention its cars.

Mulally, who also worked for Boeing, is the only director with a background in traditional manufacturing on Google's board.

Mulally returned Ford to profitability, in part, by shedding brands like Volvo and Jaguar so the company could focus on its core Ford and Lincoln brands. Mulally also drove Ford to innovate, championing new features like touch-screen dashboards before others had them.

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