LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

Reflections on Leadership in 2015

The question of good leadership loomed large over the past 12 months. CEOs and senior executives have been constantly reassessing what skills are required to build teams that can navigate the challenges posed by digitisation, greater levels of global competition and increased regulation.

The Problem with CEO Succession

The departure of a chief executive shouldn't throw an organisation into a full-blown crisis and yet, on a regular basis, that’s exactly what happens. Panic spreads as stakeholders are gripped by the fear that a company is being run like a football club. Share prices often nosedive as a result. 

Understanding Risk Culture

Attitude is everything when it comes to managing risk effectively. “If a company doesn’t have a positive culture you can have as many rules as you like, but in that moment of truth when people are under pressure, they will tend to do the wrong things,” says John Shelley, Chief Risk Officer at RBS Asia Pacific. 

How to Exit as a PE CEO

The key to planning a successful exit is to focus on the potential buyer, says Adam Hodges, former CEO of gaming company Playnation. He advises: “Work backwards. Ask who's going to buy the business. What do they want it to look like? What would make it interesting to them?”