• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
FinanceFinance

JPMorgan and BlackRock C-suite departure surprises show why succession in finance is extra tricky, experts say

Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 18, 2025, 10:03 AM ET
Jamie Dimon (center), longtime CEO of JPMorgan Chase.
Jamie Dimon (center), longtime CEO of JPMorgan Chase.Win McNamee—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.
  • CEO candidate departures at BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase show that finding an exceptional replacement is tough, and keeping good candidates committed is a challenge in itself.

The departure announcements of possible CEO successors at both BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase are the latest reminders that CEO transitions are anything but simple, experts say, especially when it comes to the world’s top finance jobs.

Recommended Video

Mark Wiedman, BlackRock’s top client-facing executive and a possible successor to CEO Larry Fink, said Wednesday he would voluntarily step away from his role in the spring after a 20-year stint at the firm.

On the same day, two JPMorgan executives apparently took their names out of the running to replace the longest serving CEO of a major bank, Jamie Dimon (One is retiring and the other reportedly has no interest in the role.)

Both examples prove the difficulty of replacing a longtime leader, and in finance, the transition process is particularly difficult, said Chris Stanley, Moody’s senior director and its banking industry practice lead.

A potential CEO candidate needs to have a good grasp of the complexities of the business in any industry. But in finance they also need to be familiar with the increasing regulations imposed on the industry over the last 30 years, said Stanley. 

And in modern finance, so much specialization is required in operations, finance, sales, and risk, that it’s hard to find a candidate with a strong understanding of each area.

“As the bank gets larger, the kind of specialization, or the expertise that’s required in those four broad areas, but then individually, in each of the business units of the bank just becomes a really hard thing to to contain in one person,” Stanley told Fortune.

On top of the hard skills required for the job, he added that big bank and finance CEOs need to have the charisma to sell a shared vision of the firm’s direction to employees, shareholders, and the board.

“In a commodity business like banking, where the margins are so thin, it’s a pretty compelling story you have to tell to say, ‘We’re going to change what we’re doing. We’re going to invest over here. This is where we see opportunity,’” he said.

To add yet another complicating factor to the mix, top executives are likely on someone’s radar elsewhere.

When an employee is identified as a candidate for the CEO job, whether by their company or the media, they may reconsider when other opportunities come knocking, said Larry Hartmann, CEO of global talent advisory firm ZRG Partners. This is especially true if the candidate isn’t confident that they’ll beat out the other contenders.

Hartmann, whose firm has helped Subway and the NCAA find their top leaders, said even getting on the shortlist for the top job raises your profile for top recruiters like him. 

“They’re going to be someone that another organization would value,” Hartmann told Fortune. “They’re kind of referenced in a strong way already by being mentioned in that light.”

About the Author
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Role: Reporter
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general business news.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

paz
North Americaprotests
Bolivia’s president calls in military after road blockades uncork violence and death
By Isabel Debre, Paola Flores and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
46 minutes ago
b
EnvironmentPope
The pope knows Peru’s mines firsthand, but a top banker is pleading with him to change his mind on rare earths
By David Biller, Nicole Winfield and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
50 minutes ago
Shipping companies will decide when the Strait of Hormuz is truly open—not the U.S. or Iran—and the latest deal is already sowing confusion
EnergyIran
Shipping companies will decide when the Strait of Hormuz is truly open—not the U.S. or Iran—and the latest deal is already sowing confusion
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
58 minutes ago
cuba
EconomyCuba
Trump’s Cuba sanctions force the island’s biggest economic shift since Castro: towards capitalism
By Andrea Rodriguez and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
1 hour ago
Iran floats ‘insurance fees’ and asserts control over Hormuz
EnergyIran
Iran floats ‘insurance fees’ and asserts control over Hormuz
By Alex Longley, Alaric Nightingale, Ellen Milligan and BloombergJune 20, 2026
3 hours ago
New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s decision to drop forward guidance may actually empower the central bank’s other policymakers
BankingFederal Reserve
New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s decision to drop forward guidance may actually empower the central bank’s other policymakers
By Christopher Rugaber and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
9 hours ago
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
Success
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.