---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000092122-23-000106"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "SO"
cik: "0000092122"
company_name: "SOUTHERN CO"
filed_at: "2023-12-12T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-07T14:33:00.443518+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Southern Co. Executive Chairman Fanning retiring Dec 31; CEO Womack to also become Chairman

## Summary
- Thomas A. Fanning retires as Executive Chairman and from the Board effective December 31, 2023.
- Christopher C. Womack, current President & CEO, elected Chairman of the Board effective December 31.
- Fanning expected to sign a consulting agreement with Southern Co. Services for $250K cash in 2024 on national security/cyber/energy policy.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000092122-23-000106
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: SO
- cik: 0000092122
- company_name: SOUTHERN CO
- filed_at: 2023-12-12T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/92122/000009212223000106/0000092122-23-000106-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/92122/000009212223000106/so-20231211.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000092122-23-000106
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000092122-23-000106.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000092122-23-000106.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Christopher C. Womack was elected as Chairman of the Board at SOUTHERN CO.
  - Action: elected
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: the Board elected Christopher C. Womack, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a Board member, to the additional position of Chairman of the Board, effective December 31, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/92122/000009212223000106/0000092122-23-000106-index.htm
- Executive change
  Thomas A. Fanning departed as Executive Chairman at SOUTHERN CO.
  - Action: retiring
  - Role: Executive Chairman
  source text: Thomas A. Fanning, Executive Chairman of The Southern Company (the “Company”), notified the Company that he is retiring as Executive Chairman and from the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), effective December 31, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/92122/000009212223000106/0000092122-23-000106-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.