predecessorpre·de·ces·sor /ˈpriːdəsesəˈpredəsesər/ noun [countableC] formal1a person who was in a particular post or job before the person who is doing it nowProblems he inherited from his predecessor led to the bank’s later troubles.
2a machine, system, etc that existed before another one that has developed from itThe new car will have a more aerodynamic shape than its popular predecessor.