Research Brief
A recording for this session isn't published. Below is the BPI editorial brief — key takeaways, an in-depth summary, and FAQs drawn from the original session materials and the presenter's body of work.
Presenter
Gonzalo Cajade
Description
Succession planning for the C-suite can be an inspirational and aspirational process. Otis Elevator is in the process of becoming an independent publicly-traded company as they spin-off from United Technologies. One of the key areas that they are working on is succession planning and specifically presenting those plans to the Board of Directors. Succession planning for the C-suite can be an inspirational and aspirational process. I am kindly requesting that the Board come together in a BPI facilitated online session to share best practices in the best practices in how to build best-in-class succession plans and present them to the Board of Directors. **As a result our participation in the session, BPI will provide us with an executive summary of our collective best practices.** Your knowledge and experience are requested around the process of talking to your Board of Directors around succession planning, specifically addressing the following questions:
Learning Points
* Do you involve the full board or just specific committees when it comes to succession planning? * What is the frequency of these meetings/presentations? * What is the level of information you present? * What succession planning tools do you use?
This session delves into the critical process of presenting succession candidates for senior roles to a Board of Directors. It outlines robust best practices that ensure boards are well-informed, confident in leadership pipelines, and prepared for future transitions, a topic that remains supremely relevant in today's dynamic corporate landscape.
What you'll learn
This webinar provides insights into:
- Key elements of a comprehensive succession candidate profile
- Strategies for effectively communicating candidate strengths and development areas to the Board
- The importance of aligning succession plans with organizational strategy
- Methods for demonstrating the readiness and potential of internal candidates
- How to build Board confidence in your talent pipeline
- Navigating potential challenges and questions from Board members
Who this webinar is for
This webinar is ideal for:
- HR Executives and Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs)
- Senior Talent Management and Leadership Development Professionals
- CEOs and Executive Leadership Teams involved in succession planning
- Board members or those who regularly interact with Boards on talent matters
- Organizational Development practitioners focused on long-term leadership stability
Why it matters now
Effective succession planning and board communication are more crucial than ever for organizational resilience and sustained performance. With rapid market changes and increasing scrutiny on corporate governance, boards demand clear, data-driven insights into potential future leaders. A well-articulated succession strategy, presented effectively, mitigates leadership risk, ensures continuity, and signals organizational strength to stakeholders. Proactive preparation of succession candidates and their professional presentation to the board underpins long-term strategic success and shareholder value.
How leaders can apply this
Leaders can immediately apply the insights from this session by:
- Refining their internal succession candidate assessment processes.
- Developing more structured and compelling presentations for board-level discussions on talent.
- Focusing on clear, objective data points when profiling candidates.
- Engaging in proactive conversations with Board members about leadership pipeline health, rather than reactive discussions.
- Ensuring that development plans for high-potential individuals directly address the competencies required for senior roles, making them truly board-ready. Gonzalo Cajade's expertise will guide leaders in transforming their succession discussions into strategic advantages.
About this session
Key takeaways
Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on workplace culture. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from Gonzalo Cajade's direct experience.
Who this is for
CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for workplace culture inside their organization.
Why it matters now
Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about workplace culture.
How to apply it
Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.