Changing of the Guard at Symantec, John Thompson Exits Chairman Role (SYMC, INTU, AMR, QCOM)

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
By Jon C. Ogg Updated Published

Invalid Image
Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) is announcing the changing of the guard at its Chairman position.  Independent board member Steve Bennett will be elected to succeed former CEO John W. Thompson as Chairman with an effective date of October 25, 2011.

Thompson was formerly one of our “CEOs To Go” with the caveat that he could drop the day-to-day operational role as CEO and still remain on as Chairman.  The reasons given for Thompson’s departure was to “pursue other business and personal interests.”

Bennett has been a Symantec board of directors member since February 2010. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Intuit and he currently serves on the boards at AMR Corporation (NYSE: AMR), Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM), and Vertafore.

This replacement matters.  Thompson was formerly deemed a great CEO and he has been a respectable Chairman.  The problem is that Symantec got bogged down with its Veritas acquisition and its stock has been stuck in the mud ever since that key merger was announced.

Our recommendation to the incoming Chairman: Institute a dividend policy immediately as your first order of business.

JON C. OGG

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. www.247wallst.com.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

META Vol: 40,760,422
KMX Vol: 2,288,021
WY Vol: 6,523,553
SBAC Vol: 1,443,801
NVDA Vol: 148,249,982

Top Losing Stocks

MRNA Vol: 9,176,778
CTRA Vol: 73,319,495
CRWD Vol: 9,269,567
DDOG Vol: 5,135,556
EPAM Vol: 1,164,561