CEO succession is one of the most consequential leadership decisions an organization will make. It shapes the enterprise’s strategy, culture, investor credibility, leadership continuity, and long-term performance. Yet too often, succession planning starts too late, narrows too quickly, and defines the next CEO through the lens of what has worked before, rather than what the business will need next.

That model is increasingly inadequate. The CEO mandate has expanded well beyond operating performance, requiring leaders who can navigate volatility, transformation, stakeholder scrutiny, and ambiguity. At the same time, confidence in current succession approaches remains low: only 8% of boards plan CEO succession more than five years in advance, and only 44% believe their succession processes will yield a successful candidate.

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