JPMorgan sets a new succession plan but Jamie Dimon plans to stay on

[NEW YORK] Jamie Dimon plans to stay on as JPMorgan’s CEO for at least three more years, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday (Jun 25), as an heir apparent retired and the largest US bank reshuffled its top ranks to set up a new succession plan.

The bank on Thursday elevated insiders Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh to co-presidents while announcing the retirement of senior executive Marianne Lake, who was viewed by Wall Street as a top contender.

The leadership changes narrow the field of potential successors to Dimon, who, after two decades at the helm, wields unparalleled influence on Wall Street as head of the nation’s largest lender. The question of Dimon’s eventual successor has for years been one of the most discussed transition sagas in corporate America, particularly as there have been varying timelines on Dimon’s departure.

A source familiar with the matter said that Dimon would likely stay on as CEO for another three years, which is in the ballpark of some comments he has publicly made, and that the board is keen for him to continue. He would transition to executive chairman when the time comes to move on from CEO, the source said.

Analysts also saw no near-term exit for Dimon.

“I do think that the path to Jamie Dimon’s ultimate retirement is lengthened a bit because the two individuals who have been identified over Marianne Lake do not appear to have yet the broad experience that she had,” said Gerard Cassidy, managing director at RBC Capital Markets.

Under the changes announced, JPMorgan said that Rohrbaugh will become CEO of consumer and community banking, replacing Lake, who will retire after more than 25 years with the lender. Petno will become CEO of the commercial and investment bank. Both were previously co-CEOs of the commercial and investment bank.

The bank also awarded Petno and Rohrbaugh retention bonuses of US$30 million each, while Jennifer Piepszak, chief operating officer, and Mary Erdoes, CEO of asset and wealth management, each received US$20 million. Analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods noted that the bonuses come with targets, suggesting it locks in the leadership.

According to a separate source familiar with the matter, the bank wanted to identify two of the three among Lake, Petno and Rohrbaugh and elevate them to co-president roles, and Lake retired after not securing one of those positions. Lake did not respond to a request for comment.

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Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo said that he would not rule out Piepszak, who took herself out of the running last year, as a CEO candidate, chief financial officer Jeremy Barnum, or an external candidate.

JPMorgan shares closed up 1.7 per cent.

Evenly matched

Petno has an advantage over Rohrbaugh in the short term because he is more familiar with investors after leading several different businesses, the source familiar with the matter said, but Rohrbaugh might have a longer-term advantage from running the consumer business along with experience in running the investment banking and trading businesses.

Mayo agreed. “In the short term, Petno has a slight edge because he is more experienced and better known to the investors, but Rohrbaugh is being given the consumer business, which gives him a wider range of experience,” he said.

On the betting platform Kalshi, they have similar odds, with Petno at a 25 per cent chance and Rohrbaugh at 23 per cent. Piepszak ranked third with a 14 per cent chance.

The source familiar with the matter said they had the benefit of commercial and investment banking experience over Lake, who served as the bank’s CEO of consumer lending, as well as chief financial officer.

Hazy exit plan

The shakeup comes against a backdrop of a hazy exit timeline for Dimon, who became CEO of JPMorgan in January 2006 and took on the role of chairman a year later. Dimon said in 2024 that he envisioned an exit in less than five years.

Earlier this year, he said that he wanted to stay on at least five more years, in a comment his spokespeople said at the time was a joke. In February, he said he would remain for a few years as CEO.

Dimon has often reiterated that the board is focused on succession planning. Still, numerous bank executives have left the firm during Dimon’s tenure to take senior roles at other banks.

The strategy contrasts with succession planning at Morgan Stanley, where CEO Ted Pick and the two other executives considered for the top job received bonuses of US$20 million each. A key distinction, according to one source with knowledge of the process, was that former CEO James Gorman had announced plans to step aside.

Cassidy at RBC said that Dimon’s lack of urgency to retire affected staff. “People have left JPMorgan over the years and they have replaced the folks that thought they were going to be Jamie Dimon’s heir apparent and realised he was not ready to retire.” REUTERS