Spencer Stuart

Skip to Main Content Carve-outs are complex transformations that require newly standalone companies to quickly establish their own identity, operating model, leadership structure and culture. Leadership planning should begin early, ideally well before close, with clear strategic objectives, governance decisions, talent priorities and a defined target culture.

This article is adapted from The 5 Stages of the PE Investment Cycle: The Human Capital Decisions That Matter Most. The typical private equity firm owns a portfolio company for five to seven years, depending on the company and market context. From the moment the deal closes until exit preparations begin, the key leadership attributes are nimbleness and alertness. The talent agenda is not a fixed plan, but a living one.

Skip to Main Content CHROs are central to protecting deal value in M&A, because many transactions fail not in the strategy but in the leadership, culture, talent and organisational decisions needed to execute it. Rigorous HR due diligence and active liability management are essential, from identifying hidden employee obligations and pension liabilities to assessing retention risks, capability gaps and succession issues before they undermine the deal.

A central takeaway from this year’s World Retail Congress is that retail remains a fundamentally human business. While AI can drive scale and efficiency, growth and loyalty still depend on frontline teams acting as hosts and guides, stores serving as community spaces, and leaders being visible in moments of uncertainty and change.

NEW YORK/ZURICH, June 10, 2026 — Spencer Stuart, a leading global advisory firm, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates, a Zurich-based, founder-led leadership advisory firm, through which Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates will be integrated into Spencer Stuart.

Remember, roughly 70% of the U.S. economy is driven by consumption. Right now, we’re depending a lot more on the higher-end portion of the consumer pie. Beyond that, businesses more exposed to the war — either directly or indirectly — are struggling, as are lower-end or even lower-middle-class consumers. Even people who are doing okay are anxious, given all the uncertainties. The best thing we can point to is the labor market: It’s not booming, but it’s not deteriorating either.

Skip to Main Content As the role expands, CMOs must lead with AI literacy, data fluency, customer-centric thinking and adaptability. To succeed in this rapidly changing context, rising marketers should be explicit about their career ambitions, seek diverse experiences, and cultivate sponsors and mentors who can help open up opportunities.

Skip to Main Content Changes in board leadership are predictable, yet many boards still fail to plan ahead. Board leader succession should be treated as a governance priority — not an ad hoc decision. Establish a structure for these decisions and put it in writing, including role descriptions and plans for an emergency chair transition and orderly succession. Selecting the leader is more art than science but begin by defining the necessary skills and attributes.

How prepared is your board for a leadership change? We know from our work that insufficient planning can leave boards without a ready leader when a transition occurs. And lack of alignment among directors or with the CEO about the process for selecting board leadership can breed hard feelings or distrust. Given the stakes, we wondered how confident directors feel about leader succession planning on their own boards.

The chief commercial officer (CCO) has become one of the most important post-acquisition hires for private equity (PE) sponsors. As extended hold periods and slow-to-materialize exits reduce the reliability of M&A-led growth, organic revenue growth has emerged as the core driver of value creation in PE deals, contributing an average of 54% of value creation.