Tillerson, an engineer who has run Exxon since 2006, has the right background to be secretary of state. As CEO of an energy company with about 75,000 employees around the world, he manages a complex organization with about three times as many workers as the State Department has diplomats and civil servants. Some analysts say Exxon is almost a nation unto itself. Negotiations and risk management are at the core of what Tillerson does at Exxon, and are what he would do as secretary of state. At 64, he was scheduled to retire next March but now plans to step down at year's end. Part of Tillerson's pivot would be to separate himself from Exxon and his oil industry perspective, and that includes divesting his $240 million in Exxon Mobil stock and other holdings.