Succession

Succession

The rules of or process by which a person goes about filling a role previously held by another person. In estates, succession determines who owns the property of the decedent, with everything going to the next of kin in the absence of a will. In business, succession is the process by which one employee, especially a major executive like the CEO, is replaced by another person. In determining succession, a board of directors ought to exercise caution to ensure that an executive is not only competent, but also does not bring any conflicts of interest to the company.