SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Skype is replacing its CEO with a Cisco Systems executive, a change that may indicate the Internet calling service is closer to announcing specific plans for an initial public offering.Skype S.A. said Monday that Tony Bates, formerly a Cisco Systems Inc. senior vice president and general manager of its enterprise, commercial and small business division, will replace Josh Silverman. Bates will also join Skype's board.Bates, 43, will start at the end of October; until then, Skype chief financial and administrative officer Adrian Dillon will serve as interim CEO.Silverman, 42, led the voice and video calling company through its split from eBay Inc. last year. He joined Skype in 2008, after running another eBay-owned property, Shopping.com.In a statement, Silverman said that with Bates at the helm, "Skype is well positioned to become the communications platform of choice for consumers and businesses around the world."Bates managed more than 12,500 employees at Cisco - more than 12 times Skype's current head count - and has more experience with big public corporations. That would come in handy if Luxembourg-based Skype follows through with its intentions of becoming a publicly traded company in the U.S.

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