CEO succession planning demands discreet timing, Heidrick & Struggles International advises

CEO succession planning demands discreet timing, Heidrick & Struggles International advises
CEO succession timing for boards

Heidrick & Struggles International stresses the importance of strategic timing in CEO succession planning.

The firm cautions that starting the process too early or too late can hinder an organization, recommending that boards quietly prepare, then accelerate when the moment is right. Turning succession into a distraction is a risk that the best boards know how to avoid.

Heidrick & Struggles International has previously shared new insights on chief executive succession and emerging AI-driven investing trends in its research earlier this year. The firm also found that 63 percent of public company CEO appointments in 2025 are internal promotions globally in a recent study. These findings provide context for the firm's latest guidance on succession planning strategy.

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