Cisco CEO Chambers hints at retirement

25.09.2012
Cisco CEO says he may retire in two to four years and named several executives who could succeed him, .

There are as many as 10 candidates to assumed leadership of when Chambers retires, he told Bloomberg. They include Robert Lloyd, executive vice president of worldwide operations; Chuck Robbins, senior vice president of the Americas; and Edzard Overbeek, senior vice president of global services.

And in the case of Chambers' sudden departure or inability to lead the company -- what he described to Bloomberg as a "hit by a bus scenario" -- COO Gary would take the helm. In any event, the next CEO will come from within the company, Chambers told Bloomberg.

GOING, GOING ...

Cisco's board reviews potential successors to the CEO quarterly, Chamber said. Chambers said he'd then stay on as chairman "assuming the board wants me to and assuming the shareholders do."

Chambers said he is already allocating more responsibility to potential successors.