Who do you think will replace Steve Jobs?

[johnee]

I'm curious to know what people think of this question.

There are two aspects to Jobs :
1) role as traditional CEO
2) charismatic leader who guides the creativity of the company

The first part makes this a complicated question. I feel Apple would not survive if # 2 isn't satisfied.

Based on that, I'm claiming Jonathan Ives will be his replacement. If you notice the patent applications, he and Steve Jobs are listed together quite often.

What do you think?

 

[72930]

Me

 

[smythey]

No way, Im all over it !! Im sure Ive got a black polo neck somewhere in my cupboard. And I'll get to work on the baldness.......

 

[johnee]

Me

No, seriously, has anyone here or in the industry asked this question? I'm not sure how much longer he will be around, he's in his late 50s, isn't he? he can't be CEO forever!

 

[paleck]

BLASPHEMY!!

No, seriously, has anyone here or in the industry asked this question? I'm not sure how much longer he will be around, he's in his late 50s, isn't he? he can't be CEO forever!

 

[TheAnswer]

No, seriously, has anyone here or in the industry asked this question? I'm not sure how much longer he will be around, he's in his late 50s, isn't he? he can't be CEO forever!

By the time he's ready to go, psychofreak will more than qualified.

 

[swiftaw]

How about Arn?

 

[paleck]

I nominate Doctor Q.

 

[Trogloxene]

2) charismatic leader who guides the creativity of the company
I feel Apple would not survive if # 2 isn't satisfied.

Yea, remember Gil Amelio and the conversion of Macs to PC looking boxes.

-T

 

[mashinhead]

i think he's currently being cloned by apple.

 

[TheAnswer]

How about Arn?

Then who replaces Arn??

I nominate Doctor Q.

Nah...too much math in the Keynotes.

Hmmm...maybe iGary?

 

[patrick0brien]

Yea, remember Gil Amelio and the conversion of Macs to PC looking boxes.

-T

-Trogloxene

Actually, that was Sculley, two CEO's before.

Believe it or not, Amelio started what became the iMac.

 

[johnee]

i think he's currently being cloned by apple.

actually, every "Steve Jobs" you've seen in public has never been the same one

 

[Trogloxene]

Actually, that was Sculley, two CEO's before.

Believe it or not, Amelio started what became the iMac.

I guess that makes sense since it takes a bit of time for products to roll out. So Sculley probably lead the creation of the boring boxes, and Amelio was boss when they rolled them out.

And here I always thought that Amelio was just an accountant.

So basically you need to leave a leader in position for a few years to see how it works out.

-T

 

[patrick0brien]

I guess that makes sense since it takes a bit of time for products to roll out. So Sculley probably lead the creation of the boring boxes, and Amelio was boss when they rolled them out.

And here I always thought that Amelio was just an accountant.

So basically you need to leave a leader in position for a few years to see how it works out.

-T

-Trogloxene

Yeah, or knife the fall guy to clean the slate...

 

[Zwhaler]

I nominate Zwhaler.

Aww, how nice of you.

Just kidding.

 

[czeluff]

easy choice

Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google. It's already been discussed before: if for any reason Jobs must step aside temporarily, Schmidt will happily take his place.

CZ

 

[Ripmax2000]

When Steve Jobs was off for his cancer surgery a few years back, it was Gil Amelio who took over as temp. CEO. He is also the current no.2 at Apple.

The only thing is, I think he might be older that Steve Jobs.

 

[d_and_n5000]

When Steve Jobs was off for his cancer surgery a few years back, it was Gil Amelio who took over as temp. CEO. He is also the current no.2 at Apple.

The only thing is, I think he might be older that Steve Jobs.

Uh, no...Amelio was CEO before Steve, and got the boot back in 1997. Tim Cook, the COO, took over for Steve when he was in the hospital. One would assume that he would take over the CEO duties whenever Steve can't do it anymore. However, this still leaves open the 'charismatic face' of Apple...Is it possible that Steve would quit being CEO but stay on as the 'face' of Apple, and maybe an advisory capacity, then leave Cook as the CEO? I think this seems most likely based on what we've seen.

 

[FrankBlack]

No, seriously, has anyone here or in the industry asked this question? I'm not sure how much longer he will be around, he's in his late 50s, isn't he? he can't be CEO forever!

He's 52.

I'm sure this has been discussed in the board room at Apple. There may even be a contingency plan in place already.

Analog Devices founder, Ray Stata, still serves as chairman of the board of AD. I believe he's into his mid-70's. However, AD is certainly not Apple.

 

[DISCOMUNICATION]

Some one from Pixar?

 

[zap2]

Well my beat is Jobs is going to be around for a while, until he dies, or ceases to funtion(alive, but not the genuis he is today, old age is a cruel thing)

I can't see him stepping down like Gates...Jobs is a very powerful man, and I'm sure he's thought about who will replace him. If if were a sudden replacement(something happened to Jobs all of a sudden) I'd bet Gil or Eric could help Apple, Jobs is a huge part of Apple, but not the only thing. Ive is important too.

For a long, Jobs know he is leaving, he'd likely easy Apple into live with out him.

 

[LoganT]

John Sculley, of course.

I would like to see Jonathan Ive replace him, he seems to have the same vision as Steve Jobs.

Although that may not be good thing.

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

52 is still young as far as these things go. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got at least 15-20 years of get-up-and-go left in him. Add to that the fact that he's rather the health nut, and we've got quite a bit of Steve-time left to us.

 

[iMacZealot]

I haven't read this at all, but my dad, who owns Apple stock and follows the company apparently more than me, told me that he read that if Steve Jobs were to somehow leave Apple, Apple wouldn't be worth half of what it is now.

Has anyone read this?