History Characters / SuccessionWaystarRoyco

An executive producer at ATN, a news channel owned by Waystar RoyCo.

!!!Other Employees

[[folder:Colin]]
!!Colin
->'''Portrayed By:''' Scott Nicholson

Logan's body man.

* TheDragon: To Logan. He follows him everywhere, functioning as his bodyguard, personal assistant, and handling the suppression of any negative incidents to the family.
* TheBrute: One of the tallest and most physically imposing characters on the show.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: [[spoiler:It is incredibly creepy when he breaks his implacable silence and deference to the Roys to lean in very close to Kendall and whisper, "I know you".]]
* TheQuietOne: Colin knows enough to keep his mouth shut unless he's being given an order.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Logan, whom he obeys without question no matter how shady the order. Logan in turn seems to implicitly trust Colin.

[[folder:Laird]]
!!Jamie Laird
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DannyHuston

A banker and financier who advises Logan during the proxy battle against Stewy and Sandy, as well as during his attempted acquisition of rival news giant Pierce Global Media (PGM).

!Waystar Royco

!!!Logan's Inner Circle

[[folder:Frank]]
!!Frank Vernon
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_frank.jpg]]
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/PeterFriedman

Logan’s longtime confidant and chief operating officer of Waystar Royco.

* AffablyEvil: Frank is easily the most personally pleasant employee of Waystar Royco; he's mild-mannered, cultured, honest and witty. He's also loyal to a media monster and is willing to enact his wishes regardless of the ethical considerations.
* TheBusCameBack: After being fired for his part in the attempted coup, Logan brings him back in to negotiate a deal with the Pierces, because they were charmed by his Shakespeare recitations.
* ButtMonkey: Frank really does ''not'' have the best time working for Waystar Royco. After being a loyal advisor to Logan for decades and someone who considers Logan a friend, he's fired unceremoniously in the very first episode to make way for Roman, who he got stuck babysitting for months and who now irrationally hates Frank. From that point on, he's trapped in the orbit of the Roy family, seemingly unable to cut himself loose.
-->'''Gerri:''' He said he offered you your job back.
-->'''Frank:''' Yeah. I'm considering.
-->'''Gerri:''' ''Why?''
-->'''Frank:''' I need money to pay someone to kill a guy in Palermo. Baby needs shoes, moth to a flame... ''I don't know''.
* TheConsigliere: He is a trusted long-time associate of Logan and often serves as a not-always-heeded voice of reason.
* ExtremeDoormat: When it comes to the Roys, he lets them run roughshod over him. Roman constantly insults and tries to oust him, but Frank never responds. Logan is also erratic when it comes to how he treats Frank.
* NiceGuy: He's soft-spoken, polite and easy to get along with.
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Frank's intelligence and education comes through most vividly through his use of language.
-->'''Frank:''' Shareholder meeting in two-and-a-half weeks. I mean, we are unusually subject to the vicissitudes of public opinion.
-->'''Karl:''' Uh, I can translate. That's Frank for "We're fucked".
* ServileSnarker: He's a little too submissive to be as openly snarker as Gerri or even Karl, but he's got a sharp sense of humor all the same.
-->'''Frank:''' Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Cruise Dirty Sex Fuck Cover-up Party?
* StraightMan: Frank is one of the more even-tempered and rational characters, often offering a sensible appraisal and solution. He also tends not to bite when it comes to Logan's antics.
* WickedCultured: He's fond of Shakespeare, to Logan's irritation. Not to mention he throws casual references to Coriolanus in conversation and says he internally recites Eliot’s “Prufrock” to calm his nerves before speeches.

[[folder:Gerri]]
!!Gerri Kellman
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/JSmithCameron
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_gerry.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I work for Waystar, not Logan Roy."'']]

General counsel to Waystar Royco.

* AffablyEvil: So affable that it's easy to forget about the "evil" part, but while Gerri can be nice, levelheaded, and she's extremely intelligent, she is also one of the main participants in the Roy coverup of serial sex offences, and she compiles some of the most evil ideas (such as the collateral against rape victims).
* BreakoutCharacter: She was initially supposed to appear in 5-6 episodes of Season One, but instead appears in all but the pilot and is promoted to the main cast for Season Two.
* CoolOldLady: She can usually maneuver competently around Logan, such as not having to be a "boar on the floor" despite admitting to opposing his desire to acquire PGN.
* DeadpanSnarker: Gerri has a sharp tongue and typically spars with Roman, to their mutual enjoyment.
* {{Dominatrix}}: Her sexual relationship with Roman consists of her verbally humiliating him while he masturbates.
* EnemyMine: She and Roman initially bond over their shared opposition to Logan's plan to acquire PGM.
* FakeGuestStar: J. Smith Cameron is credited as a guest starrer in Season 1 although she's in every episode except the pilot.
* GenderBlenderName: According to a J. Smith-Cameron interview, the character was initially supposed to be a man.
* LovableTraitor: A subdued example in comparison to Stewie. Gerri betrays Kendall after promising him she'd stand up for him in the meeting, and she is prone to work against Logan then pretend not to have done, but in a nest of vipers like Waystar-Royco, it's hard to hold this too hard against her.
* MayDecemberRomance: Her mentorship with Roman [[WillTheyOrWontThey ambiguously]] crosses into this territory, with him being aroused by Gerri's criticism. When she realizes Roman is masturbating during their phone call, [[NotSoAboveItAll she is taken aback but nonetheless consentually plays along]].
* OddFriendship: With Roman, who she does truly seem to care for. She's an older widow who got where she is through wits, guile and hard work. He's a spoiled, self-absorbed rich kid with a host of daddy issues. Yet, they do care for one another and have a genuine bond. After a particularly humiliating incident, she gives him sincere advice that motivates him throughout Season 2. Usually, Roman doesn't take advice from anyone.
* OnlySaneMan: She‘s one of the smartest and most put-together characters on the show.
* PlayingBothSides: Her most common tactic, and presumably how she's survived at Waystar Royco for such a long time. It's supremely ironic when Logan praises her as being more loyal than anyone.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2, after appearing in every Season 1 episode save for the pilot.
* ServileSnarker: She will frequently snark at Roman and Kendall, and she'll even snark at ''Logan'', but she is so calm when she does so that she flies under his radar.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Waystar. When it comes to individuals, she is always PlayingBothSides, but when it comes to the company itself, she is very committed to keeping it running.
* {{Workaholic}}: Her identity is built around her love of her job, although we hear about her off-screen daughters.

[[folder:Karl]]
!!Karl Mueller
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DavidRasche

Waystar Royco's Chief Financial Officer and a member of the company's legal team.

* AffablyEvil: Not a good person, but he does have a genuine amiability to him.
* AintTooProudToBeg: When Logan plays "Boar on the Floor" Karl is quick to oink for his sausage while even Tom is hesitant.
* BlondesAreEvil: He is blond and a terrible person.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: He's the Chief Financial Officer, but the principle is the same considering how staggeringly amoral he is.
* DirtyCoward: While Roman and Laird joke about to pass the time during their hostage situation, Karl proceeds to have a panic attack and is quick to obey his captors without thinking it through.
* DirtyOldMan: Karl is past middle age and is said to frequent brothels whenever he goes on business trips. He protests that his wife understands that he's a "libertine."
* {{Slimeball}}: He is, at heart, a self-serving weasel who cheats on his wife with such regularity it's a running joke and who's willing to offer up virtually anyone if it'll save himself.

[[folder:Karolina]]
!!Karolina Novotney
->'''Portrayed By:''' Dagmara Domińczyk

Head of PR for Waystar Royco and a member of Waystar Royco's legal team.

* ButtMonkey: She has seemingly the most stressful job in Waystar Royco, having to navigate numerous scandals for the public while privately having to walk on eggshells around volatile personalities like Logan who can and ''will'' blame her when things go wrong. To make matters worse, her underling Hugo is working in subtle ways to undermine her with an eye to taking her job.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:When Kendall goes rogue and calls out Logan in a press conference, Karolina's expression is truly something to behold. She jumps into panic mode and starts calling everyone.]]
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2, after recurring heavily for much of Season 1.
* WithUsOrAgainstUs: [[spoiler:In the premiere of Season 3, Kendall asks her if she is ready to work with him. When she takes too long to give him an answer, he ejects her from the vehicle in front of a crowd of reporters.]]

[[folder:Hugo]]
!!Hugo Baker
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/FisherStevens

A senior communications executive and a member of Waystar Royco's legal team, occupying a position directly below Karolina.

* AmbitionIsEvil: It gradually becomes clear that Hugo envisions himself as a future power-player, and he moves to quietly make himself useful to the Roy family while undermining Karolina.
* AmoralAttorney: Hugo's just doing his job at the end of the day, but he's pretty merciless when it comes to executing that job. He advises on how to cover up a huge scandal, tries to get Tom through the hearings by using stall tactics, and readily suggests sacrificing loyal employees of Waystar Royco to the media frenzy.
* DeadpanSnarker: He's a quick-witted, snarky guy in general but special mention must go to his gem of a line, uttered to Shiv as he witnesses Tom blunder his way through a congressional hearing:
-->''"What's it like being married to a man with two assholes?"''
* LeanAndMean: He has a slender frame and even Logan considers him to be a ruthless piece of work.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:Hugo's expression turns ashen when confronted with Marcia and her lawyer, both of whom are very aware that Logan is in a position of serious weakness.]]
* ProfessionalButtKisser: He's good at subtlely
* TheStarscream: In a very subtle, opportunistic way. He suggests sacrificing Karolina, his ''boss'', to the stockholders.
-->'''Hugo:''' If you added Karolina that's a decent bundle of leadership meat to feed the sharks.
-->'''Logan:''' ''[shocked pause]'' Slippery cunt. Knife your boss? You're a nasty bastard, aren't you?
-->'''Hugo:''' ''[unfazed]'' ''You'' asked, Logan.

!!!Board of Directors

[[folder:Stewy]]
!!Stewy Hosseini
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/ArianMoayed
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_stewy_5.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I can promise you that I am spiritually and emotionally and ethically and morally behind whoever wins."'']]

Kendall's longtime [[VitriolicBestBuds frenemy]]: a financier who becomes a member of Waystar Royco's board.

* AffablyEvil: He is selfish and utterly lacking in empathy or principles, but also unfailingly cheerful and fun to hang out with.
* BeardOfEvil: Neatly bearded and a self-serving, amoral scumbag.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He's introduced as Kendall's coke-snorting PoisonousFriend, but he's far more savvy than he appears.
* CardCarryingVillain: He will be the first to admit that he's playing both sides and is not to be trusted.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Switches sides at the drop of a hat, though, to his credit, he is upfront about this deficiency of character.
* TheDragon: To Sandy Furness, who uses Stewy as his primary string-puller.
* FunctionalAddict: He's a frequent user of cocaine, but it doesn't seem to impair him.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Despite already betraying Kendall more than once, Stewy gets very upset that his friend would do the same to him.
* MouthOfSauron: For Sandy Furness, who rarely appears in person. Stewy is trusted to communicate Sandy's wishes and make deals on his behalf.
* NoSell: Perhaps his most impressive moment comes when he makes it abundantly clear to Logan that [[spoiler:his usual tactic of being a blustery, borderline violent bully simply won't cut it in the cold, money-driven modern world. Logan might still be intimidating, but he isn't the all-powerful monster he once was, and Stewy is very much aware of his weakened position. When Logan tries to offer a final deal with no negotiation, Stewy rejects him outright.]]
-->''"Dude, it doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything. You can threaten to stuff a million severed dicks into my ball bag, but the actual fact is, we're persuading more and more shareholders every day that we offer them just a slightly better chance for them to make a little bit more money on their fucking dollar, and that's all that this is."''
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: The only time he's not totally calm and reserved is when he first sees Kendall after he backs out of their deal. Stewy actually reveals himself to be genuinely hurt that Ken would exit a seemingly perfect arrangement and drops his sarcasm to ask why he did it, only getting more upset when he doesn't get an answer.
* OpportunisticBastard: He is a parasite constantly piggybacking off other people's success and influence. Even his ''job'' as a private equity shark is centered around benefiting off other people's failures.
* PetTheDog: He is not a great friend to Kendall, but he does attempt to half-heartedly comfort him after seeing how out-of-sorts his old friend is.
* PlayingBothSides: At any given moment, he backs whoever seems to be poised to win.
* PoisonousFriend: His ideas constantly land Kendall in hot water, though he never really has to face the consequences.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2. He gets demoted from the main cast in Season 3, but he still appears in the opening credits with guest star billing.
* SmugSmiler: He is never seen without a shit-eating grin on his face, and is quick with a smarmy, nasty quip.
* VitriolicBestBuds: He and Kendall do hang out a lot, despite Kendall distrusting Stewy and generally thinking little of him.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: He's introduced as one of Kendall's oldest and most trusted friends, but gradually over the course of the show, the two become bitter enemies due to some mutual back-stabbing instigated by Stewy.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: His and Kendall's friendship is marred by ChronicBackstabbingDisorder on both sides, and the two of them mostly only create problems for each other.

[[folder:Lawrence]]
!!Lawrence Yee
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/RobYang
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_lawrence.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You're a bunch of bloated dinosaurs who didn't even notice the monkeys swinging by till yesterday."'']]

The CEO of Vaulter, a digital media company that Kendall acquires at the start of the show.

* AdvertisedExtra: He is given main character credit in both seasons, but he appears in about a third of the episodes in both and disappears for long periods of time.
* ButNotTooGay: While he is shown in bed with a man and takes a man, presumably his husband, to meet Roman, he's never shown engaging in anything physical or even discussing his personal life.
* CommutingOnABus: He is ostensibly a member of the main cast, but he gets very little screentime in either season and is absent from the plot for large chunks of time.
* InscrutableOriental: He makes his disdain clear to Kendall in private, but he doesn't want to be part of Waystar Royco and it means that he presents himself as totally unreadable by them.
* {{Karma}}: Lawrence gets cold feet and [[spoiler: betrays Kendall at the vote against Logan, causing Kendall to be fired and spurring his downward spiral]]. This of course results in [[spoiler: Kendall finding his way back under his dad’s influence, personally acting on his father’s orders to gut Lawrence’s company]].
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: In the second episode, he is the one to tell Kendall that his father has just had a brain hemorrage. While Kendall reels in shock, Lawrence delivers the kicker: “You invited me into the chicken coup, and without Daddy involved, I’m going to eat you one by fucking one.”
* NotSoStoic: When Waystar starts looking to mess with Vaulter’s books and Kendall hints Logan is trying to strip the company, Lawrence is visibly shaken and nervous. After Kendall [[spoiler: guts Vaulter on his dad’s order]] Lawrence devolves into confused anger.
* SitcomArchnemesis: To Kendall, who he has a very testy relationship with.
* SmugSnake: Lawrence has this personality in certain business altercations.
* StraightGay: He is shown in bed with a man when Kendall calls him during night hours and brings him to a bar with Roman. (It is, however, also possible he is [[AmbiguouslyBi bisexual]]).
* TechBro: He's a fairly young man who runs a huge digital media company that Kendall acquires, but possesses a heft of quiet confidence as well as regarding the Roys as shallow dinosaurs.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Asian and non-heterosexual.
* VisualMetaphor: He tells Kendall that he'd never do business with the Roys, then steps into the elevator and rubs sanitizer on his hands, literally washing his hands of the family.

[[folder:Paul]]
!!Paul Chambers
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DavidPatrickKelly

A member of the board loyal to Logan.

* UndyingLoyalty: To Logan, whom he enthusiastically supports during Kendall's attempted coup.

[[folder:Mo]]
!!Lester "Uncle Mo" [=McClintock=]
->'''Portrayed By:''' N/A

A former Head of Waystar's parks and cruises division, whose odious legacy hangs over the show's plot.

* AlliterativeName: '''M'''o '''M'''cClintock. Averted in that his actual name is Lester.
* CreepyUncle: Not an actual uncle, but his nickname is Uncle Mo and he otherwise fits the description to a T. Connor even mentions that Logan never let his children in the pool with Mo.
* DirtyOldMan: A lifelong sexual predator and just as old as Logan by the time of his death.
* TheGhost: He never physically appears but his past actions haunt Waystar.
* KarmaHoudini: Mo dies of a horrible illness and is posthumously exposed for the sexual predator he is, but he's never brought to justice within the legal system for his myriad crimes. In short, he got away with a *lot* for a *long* time, and never personally has to face the music.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The "Mo" is for [[spoiler:Molester]].
* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Subverted. At his funeral, Willa has to re-write Connor's speech so he's not on record praising a sexual predator. When Logan is first informed of his being TheMole, he reacts with an aggressive insult but is then immediately informed of Mo's death; he's shocked into being solemn for a few minutes and even wants condolences sent to Mo's widow, but the second after that he starts wanting to crack Mo's email.
* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:His name initially crops up as TheMole, and dies before he makes any physical appearance. However, his horrific legacy regarding the cruises scandal means he hovers over the rest of the season and there's nary an episode where he isn't mentioned.]]
* PunnyName: His given name is Lester. His nickname is Mo. And he is a molester.
* RapeAsDrama: He abused his authority as a high-ranking member of Waystar's cruises division to coerce, abuse and rape countless showgirls.

!!!ATN

[[folder:Cyd]]
!!Cyd Peach
->'''Portrayed By:''' Jeannie Berlin

Head of Waystar Royco's news network who butts heads with Tom after his promotion.

* CoolOldLady: Cyd is a highly competent and savvy older woman with a sharp wit, giving off an air of being utterly in control.
* TheRival: To Tom, who she sees as a fly-by-nighter who she only has to tolerate for so long. Tom considers himself much more of a mainstay and seeks to make his name by eventually ousting Cyd.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eva]]
!!Eva
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/JudyReyes

An executive producer at ATN, a news channel owned by Waystar RoyCo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ravenhead]]
!!Mark Ravenhead
->'''Portrayed By:''' Zack Robidas

An on-air personality at Waystar Royco's news network.
----
* BitchInSheepsClothing: He's very popular and seems charming enough but is heavily implied to have some extreme views and even be a holocaust denier.
* {{No Celebrities Were Harmed}}: Of Tucker Carlson, being a young-ish mainstay on a conservative news network who's known for a frothing-at-the-mouth approach and has ties to white supremacy.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: He (poorly) tries to insist that he's merely interested in ''UsefulNotes/WorldWarII'' from a historical perspective, but it's clear to pretty much everyone that he's a holocaust-denier at ''best'', and at worst, a fascist neo-nazi with ties to white supremacist organizations.
-->'''Tom:''' Uh, and this other one that came up, just to fend this off, have you ever read Mein Kampf?
-->'''Mark:''' Um. Yeah, couple of times, I guess.
-->'''Tom:''' ...Couple times? Are there Easter eggs in there you didn't get the first time?
[[/folder]]

!!!Other Employees

[[folder:Colin]]
!!Colin
->'''Portrayed By:''' Scott Nicholson

Logan's body man.
----
* TheDragon: To Logan. He follows him everywhere, functioning as his bodyguard, personal assistant, and handling the suppression of any negative incidents to the family.
* TheBrute: One of the tallest and most physically imposing characters on the show.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: [[spoiler:It is incredibly creepy when he breaks his implacable silence and deference to the Roys to lean in very close to Kendall and whisper, "I know you".]]
* TheQuietOne: Colin knows enough to keep his mouth shut unless he's being given an order.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Logan, whom he obeys without question no matter how shady the order. Logan in turn seems to implicitly trust Colin.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Laird]]
!!Jamie Laird
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DannyHuston

A banker and financier who advises Logan during the proxy battle against Stewy and Sandy, as well as during his attempted acquisition of rival news giant Pierce Global Media (PGM).
----

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jess]]
!!Jess Jordan
->'''Portrayed By:''' Juliana Canfield

Kendall's assistant.
----
* AlliterativeName: '''J'''ess '''J'''ordan.
* AscendedExtra: In Season 3, Jess starts getting more focus and more lines, turning her into more of a living, breathing character.
* GirlFriday: She serves as this to Kendall, whom she's always around and running errands for.
* TheMole: Jess is ostensibly Kendall's assistant, but she's employed by Waystar and as such, she reports on Kendall's comings-and-goings to more responsible adults like Gerri.
* TheQuietOne: Jess, perhaps wisely, doesn't really speak unless spoken to. Although she gets more lines in Season 3, she still knows when to keep her mouth shut around big, erratic personalities like the Roys.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bill]]
!!Bill Lockhart
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/MarkBlum

Tom's predecessor at Parks & Cruises.
----
* AffablyEvil: People ''like'' Bill. He's given a fawning send-off for his retirement party and even Roman agrees that he likes Bill, and it isn't hard to see why: he's a disarmingly pleasant older gentleman with an easy smile. He also covered up and enabled horrific crimes on the Waystar cruises for ''years'', and judging from his comments to Logan, may have even participated in them. Easy-going as he might be, he has no actual morals.
* BaldOfEvil: A cunning, amoral mind lurks beneath that shiny pate.
* ShameIfSomethingHappened: He turns up at the DC hearings under the guise of giving support, but really he's there to make implicit threats to Logan's face. Fully aware he's a likely scapegoat, Bill makes it clear to Logan that if he goes down, he's taking down ''everyone'', and has the evidence to back it up.
-->'''Logan:''' I appreciate your support, Bill.
-->'''Bill:''' Are you kidding? So many memories, huh? I should write a book. I could. I've got the diaries. But no time. No time!
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: He tried to cover up historic sex abuses in the cruiselines department, but since he retires at the start of the series, he more-or-less skirts by without much in the way of reprecussions. Even prior to that, he was considered a genial man who everyone loved working for. Tom somewhat bitterly remarks that he was the "best boss ever".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ray]]
!!Ray
->'''Portrayed By:''' Patch Darragh

A Waystar executive present at the corporate retreat.
----
* TheBully: As much as Logan bullies him, Ray very easily switches to being the bully when there's a new target.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Layton]]
!!Philippe Layton
->'''Portrayed By:''' Angus Wright

A high-profile Waystar shareholder who advises Logan to step down from the company amid the cruise line scandal.
----
* MouthOfSauron: For the shareholders.

!!!Board of Directors

[[folder:Stewy]]
!!Stewy Hosseini
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/ArianMoayed
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_stewy_5.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I can promise you that I am spiritually and emotionally and ethically and morally behind whoever wins."'']]

Kendall's longtime [[VitriolicBestBuds frenemy]]: a financier who becomes a member of Waystar Royco's board.

* AffablyEvil: He is selfish and utterly lacking in empathy or principles, but also unfailingly cheerful and fun to hang out with.
* BeardOfEvil: Neatly bearded and a self-serving, amoral scumbag.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He's introduced as Kendall's coke-snorting PoisonousFriend, but he's far more savvy than he appears.
* CardCarryingVillain: He will be the first to admit that he's playing both sides and is not to be trusted.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Switches sides at the drop of a hat, though, to his credit, he is upfront about this deficiency of character.
* TheDragon: To Sandy Furness, who uses Stewy as his primary string-puller.
* FunctionalAddict: He's a frequent user of cocaine, but it doesn't seem to impair him.
* {{Hypocrite}}: Despite already betraying Kendall more than once, Stewy gets very upset that his friend would do the same to him.
* MouthOfSauron: For Sandy Furness, who rarely appears in person. Stewy is trusted to communicate Sandy's wishes and make deals on his behalf.
* NoSell: Perhaps his most impressive moment comes when he makes it abundantly clear to Logan that [[spoiler:his usual tactic of being a blustery, borderline violent bully simply won't cut it in the cold, money-driven modern world. Logan might still be intimidating, but he isn't the all-powerful monster he once was, and Stewy is very much aware of his weakened position. When Logan tries to offer a final deal with no negotiation, Stewy rejects him outright.]]
-->''"Dude, it doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything. You can threaten to stuff a million severed dicks into my ball bag, but the actual fact is, we're persuading more and more shareholders every day that we offer them just a slightly better chance for them to make a little bit more money on their fucking dollar, and that's all that this is."''
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: The only time he's not totally calm and reserved is when he first sees Kendall after he backs out of their deal. Stewy actually reveals himself to be genuinely hurt that Ken would exit a seemingly perfect arrangement and drops his sarcasm to ask why he did it, only getting more upset when he doesn't get an answer.
* OpportunisticBastard: He is a parasite constantly piggybacking off other people's success and influence. Even his ''job'' as a private equity shark is centered around benefiting off other people's failures.
* PetTheDog: He is not a great friend to Kendall, but he does attempt to half-heartedly comfort him after seeing how out-of-sorts his old friend is.
* PlayingBothSides: At any given moment, he backs whoever seems to be poised to win.
* PoisonousFriend: His ideas constantly land Kendall in hot water, though he never really has to face the consequences.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2. He gets demoted from the main cast in Season 3, but he still appears in the opening credits with guest star billing.
* SmugSmiler: He is never seen without a shit-eating grin on his face, and is quick with a smarmy, nasty quip.
* VitriolicBestBuds: He and Kendall do hang out a lot, despite Kendall distrusting Stewy and generally thinking little of him.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: He's introduced as one of Kendall's oldest and most trusted friends, but gradually over the course of the show, the two become bitter enemies due to some mutual back-stabbing instigated by Stewy.
* WithFriendsLikeThese: His and Kendall's friendship is marred by ChronicBackstabbingDisorder on both sides, and the two of them mostly only create problems for each other.

[[folder:Lawrence]]
!!Lawrence Yee
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/RobYang
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_lawrence.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You're a bunch of bloated dinosaurs who didn't even notice the monkeys swinging by till yesterday."'']]

The CEO of Vaulter, a digital media company that Kendall acquires at the start of the show.

* AdvertisedExtra: He is given main character credit in both seasons, but he appears in about a third of the episodes in both and disappears for long periods of time.
* ButNotTooGay: While he is shown in bed with a man and takes a man, presumably his husband, to meet Roman, he's never shown engaging in anything physical or even discussing his personal life.
* CommutingOnABus: He is ostensibly a member of the main cast, but he gets very little screentime in either season and is absent from the plot for large chunks of time.
* InscrutableOriental: He makes his disdain clear to Kendall in private, but he doesn't want to be part of Waystar Royco and it means that he presents himself as totally unreadable by them.
* {{Karma}}: Lawrence gets cold feet and [[spoiler: betrays Kendall at the vote against Logan, causing Kendall to be fired and spurring his downward spiral]]. This of course results in [[spoiler: Kendall finding his way back under his dad’s influence, personally acting on his father’s orders to gut Lawrence’s company]].
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: In the second episode, he is the one to tell Kendall that his father has just had a brain hemorrage. While Kendall reels in shock, Lawrence delivers the kicker: “You invited me into the chicken coup, and without Daddy involved, I’m going to eat you one by fucking one.”
* NotSoStoic: When Waystar starts looking to mess with Vaulter’s books and Kendall hints Logan is trying to strip the company, Lawrence is visibly shaken and nervous. After Kendall [[spoiler: guts Vaulter on his dad’s order]] Lawrence devolves into confused anger.
* SitcomArchnemesis: To Kendall, who he has a very testy relationship with.
* SmugSnake: Lawrence has this personality in certain business altercations.
* StraightGay: He is shown in bed with a man when Kendall calls him during night hours and brings him to a bar with Roman. (It is, however, also possible he is [[AmbiguouslyBi bisexual]]).
* TechBro: He's a fairly young man who runs a huge digital media company that Kendall acquires, but possesses a heft of quiet confidence as well as regarding the Roys as shallow dinosaurs.
* TwoferTokenMinority: Asian and non-heterosexual.
* VisualMetaphor: He tells Kendall that he'd never do business with the Roys, then steps into the elevator and rubs sanitizer on his hands, literally washing his hands of the family.

[[folder:Paul]]
!!Paul Chambers
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DavidPatrickKelly

A member of the board loyal to Logan.

* UndyingLoyalty: To Logan, whom he enthusiastically supports during Kendall's attempted coup.

[[folder:Mo]]
!!Lester "Uncle Mo" [=McClintock=]
->'''Portrayed By:''' N/A

A former Head of Waystar's parks and cruises division, whose odious legacy hangs over the show's plot.

* AlliterativeName: '''M'''o '''M'''cClintock. Averted in that his actual name is Lester.
* CreepyUncle: Not an actual uncle, but his nickname is Uncle Mo and he otherwise fits the description to a T. Connor even mentions that Logan never let his children in the pool with Mo.
* DirtyOldMan: A lifelong sexual predator and just as old as Logan by the time of his death.
* TheGhost: He never physically appears but his past actions haunt Waystar.
* KarmaHoudini: Mo dies of a horrible illness and is posthumously exposed for the sexual predator he is, but he's never brought to justice within the legal system for his myriad crimes. In short, he got away with a *lot* for a *long* time, and never personally has to face the music.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The "Mo" is for [[spoiler:Molester]].
* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Subverted. At his funeral, Willa has to re-write Connor's speech so he's not on record praising a sexual predator. When Logan is first informed of his being TheMole, he reacts with an aggressive insult but is then immediately informed of Mo's death; he's shocked into being solemn for a few minutes and even wants condolences sent to Mo's widow, but the second after that he starts wanting to crack Mo's email.
* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:His name initially crops up as TheMole, and dies before he makes any physical appearance. However, his horrific legacy regarding the cruises scandal means he hovers over the rest of the season and there's nary an episode where he isn't mentioned.]]
* PunnyName: His given name is Lester. His nickname is Mo. And he is a molester.
* RapeAsDrama: He abused his authority as a high-ranking member of Waystar's cruises division to coerce, abuse and rape countless showgirls.

!!!Logan's Inner Circle

[[folder:Gerri]]
!!Gerri Kellman
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/JSmithCameron
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/succession_gerry.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I work for Waystar, not Logan Roy."'']]

General counsel to Waystar Royco.

* AffablyEvil: So affable that it's easy to forget about the "evil" part, but while Gerri can be nice, levelheaded, and she's extremely intelligent, she is also one of the main participants in the Roy coverup of serial sex offences, and she compiles some of the most evil ideas (such as the collateral against rape victims).
* BreakoutCharacter: She was initially supposed to appear in 5-6 episodes of Season One, but instead appears in all but the pilot and is promoted to the main cast for Season Two.
* CoolOldLady: She can usually maneuver competently around Logan, such as not having to be a "boar on the floor" despite admitting to opposing his desire to acquire PGN.
* DeadpanSnarker: Gerri has a sharp tongue and typically spars with Roman, to their mutual enjoyment.
* {{Dominatrix}}: Her sexual relationship with Roman consists of her verbally humiliating him while he masturbates.
* EnemyMine: She and Roman initially bond over their shared opposition to Logan's plan to acquire PGM.
* FakeGuestStar: J. Smith Cameron is credited as a guest starrer in Season 1 although she's in every episode except the pilot.
* GenderBlenderName: According to a J. Smith-Cameron interview, the character was initially supposed to be a man.
* LovableTraitor: A subdued example in comparison to Stewie. Gerri betrays Kendall after promising him she'd stand up for him in the meeting, and she is prone to work against Logan then pretend not to have done, but in a nest of vipers like Waystar-Royco, it's hard to hold this too hard against her.
* MayDecemberRomance: Her mentorship with Roman [[WillTheyOrWontThey ambiguously]] crosses into this territory, with him being aroused by Gerri's criticism. When she realizes Roman is masturbating during their phone call, [[NotSoAboveItAll she is taken aback but nonetheless consentually plays along]].
* OddFriendship: With Roman, who she does truly seem to care for. She's an older widow who got where she is through wits, guile and hard work. He's a spoiled, self-absorbed rich kid with a host of daddy issues. Yet, they do care for one another and have a genuine bond. After a particularly humiliating incident, she gives him sincere advice that motivates him throughout Season 2. Usually, Roman doesn't take advice from anyone.
* OnlySaneMan: She‘s one of the smartest and most put-together characters on the show.
* PlayingBothSides: Her most common tactic, and presumably how she's survived at Waystar Royco for such a long time. It's supremely ironic when Logan praises her as being more loyal than anyone.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2, after appearing in every Season 1 episode save for the pilot.
* ServileSnarker: She will frequently snark at Roman and Kendall, and she'll even snark at ''Logan'', but she is so calm when she does so that she flies under his radar.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Waystar. When it comes to individuals, she is always PlayingBothSides, but when it comes to the company itself, she is very committed to keeping it running.
* {{Workaholic}}: Her identity is built around her love of her job, although we hear about her off-screen daughters.

[[folder:Karl]]
!!Karl Mueller
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DavidRasche

Waystar Royco's Chief Financial Officer and a member of the company's legal team.

* AffablyEvil: Not a good person, but he does have a genuine amiability to him.
* AintTooProudToBeg: When Logan plays "Boar on the Floor" Karl is quick to oink for his sausage while even Tom is hesitant.
* BlondesAreEvil: He is blond and a terrible person.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: He's the Chief Financial Officer, but the principle is the same considering how staggeringly amoral he is.
* DirtyCoward: While Roman and Laird joke about to pass the time during their hostage situation, Karl proceeds to have a panic attack and is quick to obey his captors without thinking it through.
* DirtyOldMan: Karl is past middle age and is said to frequent brothels whenever he goes on business trips. He protests that his wife understands that he's a "libertine."
* {{Slimeball}}: He is, at heart, a self-serving weasel who cheats on his wife with such regularity it's a running joke and who's willing to offer up virtually anyone if it'll save himself.

[[folder:Karolina]]
!!Karolina Novotney
->'''Portrayed By:''' Dagmara Domińczyk

Head of PR for Waystar Royco and a member of Waystar Royco's legal team.

* ButtMonkey: She has seemingly the most stressful job in Waystar Royco, having to navigate numerous scandals for the public while privately having to walk on eggshells around volatile personalities like Logan who can and ''will'' blame her when things go wrong. To make matters worse, her underling Hugo is working in subtle ways to undermine her with an eye to taking her job.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:When Kendall goes rogue and calls out Logan in a press conference, Karolina's expression is truly something to behold. She jumps into panic mode and starts calling everyone.]]
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2, after recurring heavily for much of Season 1.
* WithUsOrAgainstUs: [[spoiler:In the premiere of Season 3, Kendall asks her if she is ready to work with him. When she takes too long to give him an answer, he ejects her from the vehicle in front of a crowd of reporters.]]

[[folder:Hugo]]
!!Hugo Baker
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/FisherStevens

A senior communications executive and a member of Waystar Royco's legal team, occupying a position directly below Karolina.

* AmbitionIsEvil: It gradually becomes clear that Hugo envisions himself as a future power-player, and he moves to quietly make himself useful to the Roy family while undermining Karolina.
* AmoralAttorney: Hugo's just doing his job at the end of the day, but he's pretty merciless when it comes to executing that job. He advises on how to cover up a huge scandal, tries to get Tom through the hearings by using stall tactics, and readily suggests sacrificing loyal employees of Waystar Royco to the media frenzy.
* DeadpanSnarker: He's a quick-witted, snarky guy in general but special mention must go to his gem of a line, uttered to Shiv as he witnesses Tom blunder his way through a congressional hearing:
-->''"What's it like being married to a man with two assholes?"''
* LeanAndMean: He has a slender frame and even Logan considers him to be a ruthless piece of work.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:Hugo's expression turns ashen when confronted with Marcia and her lawyer, both of whom are very aware that Logan is in a position of serious weakness.]]
* TheStarscream: In a very subtle, opportunistic way. He suggests sacrificing Karolina, his ''boss'', to the stockholders.
-->'''Hugo:''' If you added Karolina that's a decent bundle of leadership meat to feed the sharks.
-->'''Logan:''' ''[shocked pause]'' Slippery cunt. Knife your boss? You're a nasty bastard, aren't you?
-->'''Hugo:''' ''[unfazed]'' ''You'' asked, Logan.

* OCCIsSeriousBusiness: The only time he's not totally calm and reserved is when he first sees Kendall after he backs out of their deal. Stewy actually reveals himself to be genuinely hurt that Ken would exit a seemingly perfect arrangement and drops his sarcasm to ask why he did it, only getting more upset when he doesn't get an answer.

* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In Season 2.

* WithUsOrAgainstUs: In the premiere of Season 3, [[spoiler:Kendall asks her if she is ready to work with him. When she takes too long to give him an answer, he ejects her from the vehicle in front of a crowd of reporters.]]

* DeadpanSnarker: He's a snarky guy, but special mention must go to his gem of a line, uttered to Shiv as he witnesses Tom blunder his way through a congressional hearing:

* TheMole: She's ostensibly Kendall's assistant, but she reports on his comings-and-goings to more responsible adults like Gerri.
* TheQuietOne: Jess, perhaps wisely, doesn't really speak unless spoken to.

->'''Portrayed By:''' Peter Friedman

->'''Portrayed By:''' Arian Moayed

->'''Portrayed By:''' Rob Yang

->'''Portrayed By:''' David Patrick Kelly

->'''Portrayed By:''' J. Smith-Cameron

->'''Portrayed By:''' David Rasche

* WithUsOrAgainstUs: In the premier of Season 3, Kendall asks her if she is ready to work with him. When she takes too long to give him an answer, he ejects her from the vehicle in front of a crowd of reporters.

* GirlFriday: To Kendall, who she's always around and running errands for.

* SlapSlapKiss: She enjoys verbally sparring with Roman, with their battles of wits sometimes leading to sex.

* MayDecemberRomance: She and Roman start a mutually enjoyable sexual relationship, even though he's young enough to be her son.

Logan's banker.

* TheHeavy: One of the tallest and most physically imposing characters on the show.

* WickedCultured: He's fond of Shakespeare, to Logan's irritation.

* TwoferTokenMinority: Asian and gay (or at the very least non-heterosexual).

->'''Portrayed By:''' Mark Blum

* YourCheatingHeart: Frequents prostitutes despite being married.

* OnlySaneMan: She is easily the smartest and most put-together character on the show.

* {{Slimeball}}: A self-serving weasel who frequents prostitutes despite being married. It's fairly repulsive watching him desperately try to offer up Gerri to shoulder the blame for the cruises scandal in a transparent effort to save himself, all while acting polite and as if he's motivated by logic rather than self-preservation.

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: He (poorly) tries to insist that he's merely interested in WW2 from a historical perspective, but it's clear to pretty much everyone that he's a holocaust-denier at ''best'', and at worst, a fascist neo-nazi with ties to white supremacist organizations.