Meet the longtime Amazon exec who will become CEO

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Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Jeff Bezos stepping down as Amazon CEO
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will step down from his role as chief executive later this year and transition to the role of executive chair.

Much is already discussed about Jeff Bezos and how he turned Amazon, an online bookstore in the midst of the dot-com boom of the '90s, into a brand that effortlessly pulls in hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

Bezos is relinquishing his post as CEO, though he'll stay on as an executive chairman of the company's board.

So, who is filling Bezos' billion-dollar shoes in the company's top role? Andy Jassy.

Jassy isn't necessarily a high-profile figure when it comes to business executives crossing over into pop culture, but he is indeed a respected figure inside the Amazon umbrella.

Here are the key things you should know about Jassy:

  • He's not yet CEO: As of Bezos' Feb. 2, 2021 announcement to step down, Jassy is CEO-designate, with his ascension to take place in the third quarter of 2021.
  • He's been at Amazon since the 1990s: Jassy started with the company in 1997, about three years after it was founded, working as a marketing manager. In 2003, he founded Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing offshoot of its namesake parent, which he served as senior vice president, and then as CEO.
  • He's an Ivy Leaguer: Yes, he went to Harvard. But unlike the Zuckerbergs currently cornering the tech market, Jassy didn't have an extensive computing background before landing at Amazon. Instead, he holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
  • So, how much money does he earn: He is indeed a millionaire. Between his base salary, which is a paltry six figures, and his various stock options, Jassy is reportedly worth $394 million, as of November 2020. Jassy is poised to earn a bigger paycheck going forward in his CEO role.