Service · CEO succession planning
CEO succession planning for the next stage of your business.
We advise boards, families and investors on CEO succession across luxury, private wealth and premium consumer businesses.
The leadership brief
External evidence for founder and CEO succession.
Family business CEO succession can involve questions of authority, timing, continuity and the founder’s future role. We help define the leadership requirement and explore relevant external benchmarks. The scope distinguishes market research, internal decision-making and any later appointment process. A market map does not assume that the people identified are available or assessed.
The case for early evidence
The strongest succession processes begin before a vacancy exists. They connect strategy, governance, internal development, external market evidence and transition planning. In founder- and family-led businesses, the work must also address legacy, authority and the future role of owners.
Who commissions the work
Luxury groups and houses, founder- and family-owned businesses, family offices, private-equity portfolio companies and boards preparing for planned or accelerated change.
What the mandate may cover
- Future CEO success profile and mandate definition
- Internal-candidate assessment and development
- External market benchmarking and mapping
- Emergency and accelerated succession planning
- Board and stakeholder alignment
- Selection, referencing, transition and onboarding
What good evidence looks like
Our role is to clarify the future leadership requirement, bring relevant external market evidence and help the board compare its options. The scope distinguishes succession advice, candidate assessment and any subsequent executive search.
Questions the work should settle
- What will be different during the next CEO’s tenure?
- Is there a credible internal successor and what must be developed?
- How should founders or family owners define their future role?
- What evidence will allow the board to choose with confidence?
Defining this mandate
Separate the decision into future leadership requirements, evidence about internal options, external benchmarking and transition planning. Agree who owns each part and whether any direct candidate engagement is authorised.
How retained search worksPractical questions
Does succession planning assume the next CEO will be external?
No. External market evidence can help a board assess its options, including internal candidates. A market map does not itself establish that an external candidate is available or suitable.
How is the founder’s future role addressed?
Clarify the authority, relationships and responsibilities expected after transition. An incoming CEO needs a workable mandate, not simply a new title beside unchanged decision-making.
Is a search included automatically?
No. The advisory scope defines its outputs. A subsequent search, internal assessment or transition assignment is agreed separately where required.
Start before the decision becomes urgent.
A private conversation is enough to establish the right scope.
Discuss a leadership hire