In Brief

As a regulatory organization with powers delegated by government, our client does critical work to protect the public, and when the Board was faced with planning a high-stakes CEO transition, they turned to Watson for guidance. Together we saw them through the exit of a longstanding CEO, the appointment and support of an Interim CEO, alignment between Board and Management, and the search for the fantastic new CEO who will lead them into the future.

Our Engagement

When the Board identified that it was time for the organization to move forward under new leadership, they called us to help guide them through the sensitive and high-stakes transition. The Board was highly engaged and capable, but also small, and with limited governance expertise at the table, they needed a partner to see them through the full process.

We worked with the Board to plan the transition and supported them during the earliest days navigating the exit of the current, longstanding CEO. We placed an Interim CEO who had strong alignment of the organization’s purpose and needs, the background and skills to shepherd the organization through this transitional period, and a readiness to step into complex leadership challenges. Together with the Board and Interim CEO, we helped lay the groundwork to prepare the organization for new leadership, in parallel with conducting the search for the right next CEO to guide the organization forward.

Impact

The Board was “thrilled” and “so happy to make the announcement” of their choice of CEO. They subsequently engaged us to play a key role in onboarding, aligning the Board and CEO around mutual expectations, and ensuring shared traction and success moving forward.