Business | Schumpeter

America’s bosses just won’t quit. That could spell trouble

Bob Iger is not the only one hanging around for too long

A suited man being pulled off a horse by a giant cane. He’s clinging on by the reins and stirrups.
Image: Brett Ryder

Of the many worries that whirl around the minds of chief executives, few are more unsettling than the question of succession. Having toiled their way to the top of the corporate ladder, many bosses struggle to imagine relinquishing control and placing their legacy in the hands of another.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The long goodbye”

From the September 9th 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer of Intel Corp., holds an artificial intelligence processor

Intel’s troubles deepen, as its boss makes an abrupt exit

Pat Gelsinger’s surprise departure poses a dilemma for Donald Trump

Food packaging with "Notpla Coating" is pictured at Notpla.

Could seaweed replace plastic packaging?

Companies are experimenting with new ways to reduce plastic waste


A sequoiq tree with a metal detector scanning around the Silicon valley and California.

Has Sequoia Capital outgrown its business model?

Venture capital’s hardiest perennial gets back to its roots


On stupid rules and quick wins

Why every boss can benefit from asking employees what most infuriates them

Will the trouble ever end for Volkswagen and its rivals?

From strikes to Trump tariffs, calamities abound