“Back in 2011, when Steve Jobs was very ill, there were persistent questions about Apple’s CEO succession plan,” John Martellaro writes for TheStreet. “The most bizarre names were put forth by journalists, including those who had no experience as a corporate executive officer. But the only real candidate all along was Tim Cook, a man Mr. Jobs had great confidence in.”
“Now that Mr. Cook, who is 53 years old, is the CEO, the worries about Apple leadership are over — for the time being,” Martellaro writes. “However, corporate succession plans must still be written. Heaven forbid that Mr. Cook, in good health, should become seriously ill or get hit by a bus. So there should be, and certainly is, a new plan.”
“Hubris can make any executive believe that he or she will preside forever, but the fact is, it’s wise to identify and develop young people, now in their mid 30s and 40s, to someday take over the leadership of Apple,” Martellaro writes. “And it shouldn’t be too private an affair. Part of coping with competition and the increasing age gap between Apple executives and young customers means a willing, benign, responsible effort to, in a semi-public way, celebrate those who will, in just a few years, take over the reigns of Apple, if for no other reason than to season them and let the world size them up. That time will be here sooner than we think.”
Read more in the full article here.
What a waste of space.
Slow news day?
Normally Martello is a reasonable, well thought out writer, but he is way off base here.
Every corporation should have a succession plan, BUT Any corporation that is stupid enough to make that plan public, or even kinda known outside of the very highest officers in the company would soon find their prospective C level candidates being poached away by competitors.
A company’s succession plan shouldn’t be public or tabloid journalist or day trader or WS shorter knowledge
Thanks Martellaro. I’m sure NONE of this has occurred to the officers or board of Apple.
Steve’s son, is old enough.. to succeed his father.
Hey Mr. Cook, look both ways before crossing the street. Especially when a bus is coming.
There, problem solved.
Yes let’s begin fabricating the next crisis by all means
I couldn’t tell you of a single CEO-in-waiting for any Fortune 500 Company. Nor do I see hand-wringing articles about who’s next in line for any company, outside of Apple, before there is some evidence that the current CEO is planning retirement.
It’s why you have a Board of Directors. And in particular, after losing their last CEO, Apple will certainly have a good plan in place.
???
Tim Cook’s replacement STARTED TO WORK AT APPLE LAST WEEK. IF you don’t believe that Angela Ahrendts isn’t Tim’s back up / Partner, then you best re-visit your perspective on how complimentary personalities work.
I hope not. The only person dumber than Cook is Ahrendts.