Some Apple Board Members Looked for a Steve Jobs Replacement [REPORT]

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Members of Apple’s board talked to executive recruiters and at least one “head of a high-profile technology company” to succeed CEO Steve Jobs, according to a report.

The conversations, which “weren’t explicitly aimed at recruiting a new chief executive and were more of an informal exploration of the company’s options,” took place when Jobs went on medical leave earlier this year, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple’s board has seven directors, including Jobs. It appears the directors who made the inquiries were not acting on the full board's behalf, the report says.

It's not clear whether Jobs was aware of any of this. When The Wall Street Journal emailed Jobs, he replied, “I think it’s hogwash.”

Jobs took a leave of absence from Apple -- his second in two years -- on January 17. In a memo to his staff, Jobs said he was taking the leave to “focus on his health.” Jobs said he would “continue as CEO and to be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.”