Succession readiness for volatile quarters
Board outlooks from December 2025 reinforced a simple point: succession is an operating discipline, not an annual discussion.
Across late-2025 governance briefings, boards were urged to treat succession like incident response: rehearsed, documented, and time-bound. Volatile quarters do not excuse weak continuity plans.
Two horizons to own
- Emergency (0–30 days): documented interim coverage for CEO and next three critical roles.
- Strategic (12–36 months): two internal contenders per role, plus an external bench refreshed twice a year.
Board muscle memory
Late-2025 memos highlighted boards that rehearse transitions the way they rehearse crisis communications. The output is a 90-day onboarding plan that can be lifted off the shelf.
“Succession is a readiness drill; the day you need it is not the day to write it.”
What the board should see quarterly
Quarterly packet
Bench health, interim coverage updates, external pipeline status, and a red/amber/green view of role risk.
- Refresh role risk after every funding event, major product shift, or restructuring.
- Keep external references warm for top candidates to avoid stale signals.
- Tie CEO goals to succession completeness—documentation, drills, and development plans.
Ready to brief your next board search?
We assemble researchers, operators, and assessors to keep your mandate on track. Expect a calibrated shortlist within weeks.
Delivery cadence
4-week sprint
Mandate alignment, success signals, and eligibility clarity.
Confidential outreach, operator-led screen, role fit check.
Dual-sided feedback, refined shortlist, committee readout.
References, governance checks, and introduction scheduling.