predecessor
n. countablen. the person who had a job or position before the person who has it now. It can also describe a machine or system that was replaced by a newer version.
n. a person who held a job or office before the current incumbent; alternatively, a thing that has been followed or replaced by another. Often used in technical contexts to refer to the previous state or value in a sequence.
The new president is much more popular than his predecessor.
The latest smartphone model is significantly faster and lighter than its predecessor, which was released last year.
While the current administration has implemented several radical reforms, many of the underlying economic challenges were inherited from its predecessor during the previous decade of stagnation.
From Middle English predecessour, from Old French predecesseor (“forebear”), from Late Latin praedēcessor, from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + Latin dēcessor (“retiring officer”), from Latin dēcēdō (“I retire, I die”) (English decease).
Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' when identifying the relationship to a specific person or thing.