Last year speculation was rife as to Raymond's retirement plans as he reached his 65th birthday, however the board requested that Raymond continue in his position as chairman and chief executive officer of the corporation.
Among Raymond's greatest successes is the $US81 billion acquisition of Mobil in 1999, which at the time was the world's largest industrial merger and created a oil titan that pumps more oil than Kuwait.
The list of replacements has been narrowed to two other career company men in senior vice president, exploration and production, Rex Tillerson and senior vice president, refining and chemicals, Ed Galante.
No specific time has been set on Raymond's eventual retirement but the appointment of Tillerson could be seen as part of the grooming process for a successor.
Yet as the company eyes expansion into Russia or the Middle East some analysts feel that a change at the top may have to wait until after the experienced campaigner Raymond leads Exxon Mobil into its next phase.
