It put John Compton, the current head of Americas Foods, in charge of all the company's global groups, making him an heir apparent in the newly created role of president.

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Its current one, Jack Stafford, was 62, looking to retirement, and without an heir-apparent.

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Mr Assad senior plucked his son from an ophthalmology course in London and brought him to Syria as heir-apparent on the death of his brother, Basil, in 1994.

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Now we are left to wonder whether Mr. Murdoch will be forced to make an Abraham-like sacrifice and abandon his son James, the former heir apparent.

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Mr Assad, who trained as an eye doctor, never wanted to succeed his father but was made heir-apparent after his elder brother's death in a car crash.

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After an All-Star season in 2011, Robertson has been widely seen as Rivera's heir apparent, but Girardi wouldn't name him just yet.

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Maung Aye, who is regarded as Than Shwe's heir apparent, was to officiate at the ceremony and I had hoped I might meet him and arrange an interview.

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