Sidebar,

My repeated experience is that it's not odd at all. When there is a change in a very senior level of a key leadership position, it's been my experience that executive management will want to keep it very quiet internally until they have navigated a clear succession plan.  

In addition, even if the employee gave management notice well in advance like I assume Dr. Wong did (but I don't really know), executive management may still sit on it internally (and ask the employee to do the same - keep things quiet.) so that they can make an effective transition prior to making any internal announcement.  

and I can assume that there is no way they are going to make an external announcement before making any internal ones  

Then and only then after a successful and smooth internal transition actually takes place will they announce it externally too.  There is no requirement to do so any sooner than that when all is said and done and the said employee actually exits.  

So that's in a case when all things are in good standing. However, if the employee up and quit and:or was fired or RIF'd and or forced out, then the company may be forced to announce externally more immediately.  But if not, they will sit on it as long as possible.   

Finally, the company may have also been even trying to afford the time to see if Dr. Wong may indeed have a change in heart and or accept another role internally etc.  so here again, they aren't going to annoufe it internally let alone externally until the employee had time to consider these other options.

My point here is that waiting to announce until the nth day benefits everyone internally while there is no requirement in this retirement scenario to do anything faster than what they ultimately announced externally.  

So my read in this and takeaway is that Dr. Wong legitimately retired and the company simply waited as long as practical to make the ultimate  announcement.  

10BagR