Jeff Bezos Designs to Phase Down as Amazon’s CEO in Q3 of 2021

Fellow Amazonians:

I’m psyched to announce that this Q3 I’ll changeover to Executive Chair of the Amazon Board and Andy Jassy will develop into CEO. In the Exec Chair role, I intend to concentration my energies and notice on new products and solutions and early initiatives. Andy is nicely recognized inside of the company and has been at Amazon just about as extended as I have. He will be an remarkable chief, and he has my full assurance.

This journey commenced some 27 several years back. Amazon was only an idea, and it had no identify. The question I was asked most routinely at that time was, “What’s the world wide web?” Blessedly, I haven’t had to reveal that in a long when.

Nowadays, we use 1.3 million proficient, committed men and women, serve hundreds of tens of millions of customers and organizations, and are commonly identified as just one of the most effective companies in the planet.

How did that take place? Creation. Creation is the root of our achievement. We’ve accomplished outrageous matters collectively, and then made them standard. We pioneered consumer testimonials, 1-Simply click, personalised suggestions, Prime’s insanely-rapidly shipping and delivery, Just Wander Out shopping, the Weather Pledge, Kindle, Alexa, marketplace, infrastructure cloud computing, Career Decision, and a lot much more. If you get it ideal, a handful of several years immediately after a shocking invention, the new point has grow to be typical. Men and women yawn. And that yawn is the best compliment an inventor can obtain.

I do not know of another corporation with an invention keep track of file as excellent as Amazon’s, and I believe that we are at our most creative proper now. I hope you are as proud of our inventiveness as I am. I think you need to be.

As Amazon turned massive, we resolved to use our scale and scope to lead on important social difficulties. Two higher-impact examples: our $15 least wage and the Climate Pledge. In both conditions, we staked out leadership positions and then requested other folks to appear together with us. In equally scenarios, it’s working. Other large corporations are coming our way. I hope you’re happy of that as properly.

I obtain my operate meaningful and entertaining. I get to perform with the smartest, most gifted, most ingenious teammates. When situations have been good, you’ve been humble. When moments have been challenging, you’ve been strong and supportive, and we’ve produced every other giggle. It is a joy to do the job on this staff.

As a lot as I nonetheless faucet dance into the place of work, I’m excited about this changeover. Tens of millions of customers depend on us for our solutions, and more than a million personnel rely on us for their livelihoods. Staying the CEO of Amazon is a deep accountability, and it’s consuming. When you have a accountability like that, it’s tough to put notice on something else. As Exec Chair I will keep engaged in important Amazon initiatives but also have the time and vitality I have to have to target on the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Publish, and my other passions. I have in no way experienced far more electricity, and this is not about retiring. I’m tremendous passionate about the effect I assume these businesses can have.

Amazon could not be greater positioned for the upcoming. We are firing on all cylinders, just as the earth demands us to. We have items in the pipeline that will carry on to astonish. We serve people today and enterprises, and we have pioneered two complete industries and a entire new class of gadgets. We are leaders in locations as different as device understanding and logistics, and if an Amazonian’s concept demands nevertheless one more new institutional ability, we’re flexible more than enough and individual ample to find out it.

Keep inventing, and never despair when at very first the notion appears to be like mad. Recall to wander. Enable curiosity be your compass. It remains Day 1.

Jeff