Rumor: eBay CEO Meg Whitman to Retire

January 22, 2008

The Wall Street Journal is citing as their source “those familiar with the matter” that eBay CEO Meg Whitman is planning an exit within the next few weeks. As the story goes, she’s begun making preparations for the succession planning, and recently taken to delegating more responsibilities to her lieutenants. The current odds-on favorite for her successor is John Donahue, the president of the companies auction unit.

eBay has been slightly troubled, as of recent, with slowed growth problems, and growing allegations of being overrun by fraud and abuse. Whitman (and perhaps shareholders) see new blood as the solution. Whitman herself declared when she took the position that “..no CEO should stay more than a decade in the same job because people need new challenges and organizations need fresh perspectives.”