Waste Management has named John J. Morris Jr. as its next chief executive officer, with the transition set to take effect in early January 2027. Morris currently serves as the company’s president and previously held the role of chief operating officer.
He will succeed James C. Fish Jr., who plans to move into an advisory capacity before retiring after more than 25 years with the organization. Fish is expected to remain available through mid-February to help with the handover.
The company framed the change as a planned succession rather than an abrupt shift, pointing to Morris’s long tenure and familiarity with its operations. Waste Management is one of the largest providers of collection, recycling, and disposal services in North America.
Morris takes over a business that has been investing in automation at recycling facilities and in projects that capture gas from landfills for energy. Those efforts reflect broader pressure across the industry to cut emissions and find value in materials that once went straight to disposal.
Analysts said the leadership change is unlikely to bring a sharp turn in strategy, given Morris’s role in shaping current operations. The measured timeline, they noted, gives customers and investors a long runway to adjust before the new chief executive formally takes charge.
