Cathy Kay: Managing Partner, Russam.  cathy.kay@russam.co.uk

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining a thought-provoking roundtable on succession planning from the CEO and CFO perspective. The session was expertly chaired by Misti Melville and hosted by Hill Dickinson, with thanks to the event organisers, Winmark.

We were privileged to hear from two insightful speakers:

• Richard Turner, bringing 30+ years of finance leadership
• Peter Jackson, former CEO of Hill Dickinson – Liverpool

Together, we explored what it really takes to embed succession into a business’s DNA — not just as a reaction to crisis, but as a continuous, strategic priority.

Key takeaways included:

• Succession planning needs time, reflection, and transparency
• The Board must lead this conversation, not delegate it
• Identifying and assessing the right skills in future leaders is crucial
• Retention and onboarding (think 90-day plans) are as vital as selection
• A strong search partner should be a long-term collaborator, not a one-off supplier

As one speaker put it:
“Succession should be part of the DNA of the business.”

A few books were highlighted that have supported leaders through transitions:

• The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
• Mastering Executive Transitions by Navid Nazemian

Finally, I’ll stress: even the best-laid succession plans can falter. That’s where interims step in—and Russam is the firm to talk to. Through our international partnership with the WIL Group, we give clients access to world-class talent worldwide.

#SuccessionPlanning #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #CFO #CEO #BoardLeadership #InterimManagement #TalentStrategy #Russam #WILGroup