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An organization’s ability to place the right leader at the top has never been more important to its performance and sustainability. The risks for CEO succession are increasing as expectations for CEOs grow and businesses operate in highly dynamic conditions. Best-in-class CEO succession planning needs to evolve to reflect these realities — planning for more possible future scenarios and more internal options.

As expert advisers on leadership, CEO development and selection, and the best CEO succession practices, Spencer Stuart is uniquely qualified to assist boards with the important and complex task of CEO succession planning. We provide advice, counsel and coaching for long-term succession planning and executive development, medium-term orderly CEO succession, CEO search and onboarding support so new CEOs can accelerate their performance in the role.

We are committed to your success

Our consultants have years of senior-level search experience, a thorough understanding of governance and board best practices and valuable insight about the top executive talent across industries.
We have conducted nearly 700 CEO search and succession assignments worldwide in the past three years, facilitating a rigorous, board-centered process to help clients evaluate and develop potential options for long-term and short-term succession needs.
We offer a proprietary approach to executive assessment that not only evaluates internal candidates' performance and relevant experience in current and past roles, but also the skills that speak to their ability to succeed in more complex and demanding contexts, including their analytical capabilities, social intelligence and self-awareness.

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The Life Cycle of a CEO

In this groundbreaking new book, Claudius Hildebrand and Robert Stark combine unprecedented research—analyzing the individual performance of every twenty-first century CEO of the S&P 500 and accompanying macroeconomic and industry cycles—with 100 in-depth interviews to reveal the distinctive life cycle of a CEO.

Practice Leadership

Cathy Anterasian

Cathy Anterasian

North America

Rowen Bainbridge

Rowen Bainbridge

Europe, Middle East and Africa