succession planning

Colonel Sanders pulled it off, and so has Steve Jobs. Yet few companies allow one individual to represent their brand. Why not? The risks are large, and, well, few CEOs are actually good at it.

IBM has realigned its executive suites and expanded the roles of four of its top managers, according to an internal memo sent to employees Monday -- a move that potentially paves the way for one of them to become the successor to CEO Sam Palmisano.