WM CEO Jim Fish to Retire; President John Morris Named Successor Effective Jan 4, 2027
WM sits 16% above its 52-week low of $194.11.
Summary
Waste Management announced CEO Jim Fish will retire effective January 4, 2027, with President John Morris named as his successor. The transition is part of a planned succession process.
Key Events · Executive and Board Changes · WM
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CEO Retirement Announced
James C. Fish, Jr. will retire as CEO and resign from the Board effective January 4, 2027, after more than a decade as CEO and 25+ years with the company.
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Successor Appointed
President John J. Morris, Jr., age 57, will become President and CEO and join the Board effective January 4, 2027. He has served as President since May 2025 and previously held COO and other senior roles.
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Transition Timeline
Fish will remain in an advisory role until mid-February 2027. Morris's Board term expires at the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders.
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Succession Planning Context
The Board described the appointment as a continuation of the company's succession planning process, with Morris's appointment not tied to any arrangement or understanding with any other person.
Analysis · WM · Energy & Transportation
A planned CEO transition at an $88B company is a material governance event. Jim Fish, CEO since 2016, will retire and resign from the Board effective January 4, 2027, with President John Morris — a 30-year industry veteran and current President — stepping into the role. The succession appears orderly and well-telegraphed through the company's stated succession planning process, which reduces disruption risk. Morris's deep operational background and the Board's unanimous endorsement suggest continuity of strategy rather than a pivot. The four-month transition window gives investors time to assess Morris's leadership before he takes the helm.
How filings like this one have moved
In the 30 days to Sep 14, 2026, 29.9% of the 1591 measured filings Wiseek scored 7 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.24%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
Measured one observation per ticker per day, after exclusions. Current figures: Filing Impact Tracker · open dataset
At the time of this filing, WM was trading at $225.50 on NYSE in the Energy & Transportation sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $88.8B. The 52-week trading range was $194.11 to $248.13. This filing was assessed with neutral market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.