A new report has sought to shed light on Stephanie McMahon’s WWE role after the company announced she was taking a step back from the job.
On May 19th Stephanie McMahon announced that she is taking a leave of absence from WWE. In a short statement posted on social media, McMahon said that she would be stepping away from “the majority” of her responsibilities with the company:
“As of tomorrow, I am taking a leave of absence from the majority of my responsibilities at WWE. WWE is a lifelong legacy for me and I look forward to returning to the company that I love after taking this time to focus on my family.”
Following the announcement from WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, it was revealed that WWE President Nick Khan would be taking over many of McMahon’s duties in her absence.
Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has shed more light on McMahon’s departure and says although many were shocked by the news, it was many months in the making. The report also alluded to the future of Stephanie McMahon’s role in that the company is actively looking for a replacement with Nick Khan’s involvement said to be only temporary:
“A key aspect of the story is that the company is looking at a replacement as Chief Brand Officer, or for someone who will fulfill her roles, which indicates this is not a short-term thing. Nick Khan taking over for her is only temporary.”
Another note made in the report is the speculation as to whether only one person will be needed to replace McMahon or if more will be hired. It’s also said that there is more than just her desire to spend time with her family behind her decision:
“One person noted to us the question is how many people will be hired to replace her if it’s one or more than one. As far as the real reasons, as noted, the public story about spending more time with her family is true, but it’s also not the only reason. But other reasons have been kept very quiet and nothing has gotten out. One person close to the situation said they can say “for sure” she won’t be back anytime soon, and that they don’t know if she will ever come back in the role of Chief Brand Officer or not.”