View From The Top
Rajesh Khanna,
President,
Vantedge Search
As 2025 draws to a close, and as many of us take a moment to pause for the year-end holidays, a clear pattern has emerged across boardrooms globally: the expectations placed on directors are changing faster than most boards are adapting. The conditions that shaped board composition over the last decade—relative market stability, predictable capital flows, and incremental digital change—no longer hold. Today’s directors are navigating exponential technologies, geopolitical fragmentation, regulatory divergence, and heightened stakeholder scrutiny, often simultaneously. In this environment, board composition is no longer a matter of governance hygiene; it is a strategic determinant of how risk is understood, how capital is deployed, and how credibility is sustained. Our cover story examines four capabilities that are becoming non-negotiable for boards entering 2026, not as abstract ideals, but as practical requirements for decision-making in a fractured world.
This special edition brings that perspective together across governance, leadership development, and executive movement. Expert insights reinforce the importance of role clarity, ethical stewardship, and disciplined oversight. The career section reflects the parallel evolution required of senior executives who aspire to remain effective and relevant at the top. And the breadth of CXO transitions signals how organizations are actively reshaping leadership for the next cycle. As we look ahead to 2026, we extend our best wishes for the season and the new year, and invite you to reflect on a simple question: do you have the board you need for the world that is coming?
Boardrooms 2026: The Four Capabilities That Will Define the Next Generation of Directors
As 2025 draws to a close, one truth has crystallized across global boardrooms: the director archetype that guided companies through the last decade may no longer be fit for the one ahead. The world executives once knew – linear markets, predictable capital flows, and incremental digitalization – has fractured by far greater complexities. Leaders face exponential technologies, geopolitical fragmentation, unpredictable regulatory shifts, and intensifying scrutiny from every stakeholder.
In this environment, the board’s composition is becoming not just a governance decision, but a strategic differentiator. It determines how organizations interpret risk, deploy capital, attract talent, and address the next wave of disruption. Yet, despite the mounting pressure, most boards continue to operate with legacy skillsets that reflect where the organization has been, not where it must go.
As executive search firms increasingly partner with boards on succession, evaluation, and renewal, four capabilities have emerged as non-negotiable. These are structural competencies that will redefine effective leadership in 2026 and beyond.
- Digital Intelligence: Beyond Literacy, Towards Strategic Fluency
Most boards now include at least one “digital director,” but the environment has shifted so dramatically that basic digital literacy is no longer enough. The next era demands digital intelligence: an ability to see around corners, connect emerging technologies to business levers, and interrogate whether the organization’s digital posture is built for resilience or for obsolescence.
Generative AI, automation, synthetic data, and cybersecurity risk have converged to form a new strategic frontier. Directors must now:
- Understand the implications of AI-driven operating models
- Challenge whether digital investments are delivering measurable advantage
- Hold management accountable for ethical, responsible AI deployment
- Assess cyber response mechanisms with the same rigor as financial controls
Digital intelligence is about knowing what technology means. It requires a mindset shift, from observing digital trends to leveraging digital forces as instruments of corporate strategy.
- Ethical Governance: Stewardship in an Era of Radical Transparency
Governance has shifted from compliance to conscience. Ethical lapses don’t simply tarnish reputations; they erode market value, destabilize leadership credibility, and trigger stakeholder backlash with unprecedented speed.
Three structural shifts are fueling this transformation:
- Radical transparency – Information leaks, whistleblower channels, and open-source intelligence make it nearly impossible to hide malfeasance.
2. Algorithmic decision-making – AI introduces new ethical vulnerabilities, from bias to opacity to unintended societal consequences.
3. Stakeholder ascendancy – Employees, regulators, and customers now expect boards to take principled positions on issues that were once considered “non-core.”
In 2026, ethical governance will rather be a source of competitive strength. Directors must demonstrate:
- The courage to interrogate difficult choices, not just approve neat presentations
- The discipline to challenge organizational blind spots
- The foresight to anticipate the ethical implications of new technologies and business models
- The judgement to balance shareholder expectations with societal impact
Boardrooms that treat ethics as a checklist will falter. Those that embed ethical governance into strategic conversations will earn trust, attract talent, and build enduring value.
- Geopolitical Fluency: Navigating a Multipolar World
Between shifting trade blocs, volatile supply chains, and regulatory divergence, geopolitical fluency has moved from a niche expertise to a boardroom essential. The next decade will be defined by multipolarity, where no single nation, institution, or ideology dominates global outcomes.
For directors, this means strategy can no longer be divorced from geopolitics.
Geopolitical fluency is not about predicting conflict; it is about understanding how political, economic, and social forces interact to shape opportunity and risk. Boards must evaluate:
- Whether the organization’s supply chain can withstand regionalization and protectionism
- How macro-political shifts affect market entry, capital allocation, and partnerships
- The implications of regulatory divergence, particularly in AI governance and data flows
- Cross-border talent mobility, immigration policies, and emerging workforce demographics
The directors poised to lead in 2026 are the ones who can interpret these dynamics with clarity and integrate them into strategy, risk management, and long-term planning.
- Sustainability Literacy: From ESG Compliance to Value Creation
The sustainability conversation has matured beyond its ESG origins. Sustainability is a proxy for long-term enterprise resilience. Investors are scrutinizing how organizations translate sustainability commitments into measurable outcomes: resource efficiency, supply chain integrity, risk mitigation, and brand equity.
Boards that treat sustainability as a reporting obligation inevitably lag competitors who view it as a business imperative.
Sustainability literacy demands that directors:
- Understand climate risk not only as a regulatory requirement but as a financial variable
- Evaluate resource dependencies and exposure to climate-related disruptions
- Assess whether capital is being allocated toward future-aligned growth
- Challenge management on the quality, not the quantity, of sustainability disclosures
The directors of 2026 that integrate sustainability into strategy, operating models, and governance frameworks will have a structural advantage in attracting capital, partners, and next-generation talent.
The New Boardroom Compact
Together, these four form the backbone of a new boardroom compact, one defined not by tenure, experience, or reputation, but by the ability to sail through the multidimensional challenges of a transformed world.
Identifying directors with conventional track records is no longer enough. The real differentiator lies in identifying individuals who bring these capabilities together in a way that elevates the entire board.
As companies prepare for 2026, one of the questions that will determine their trajectory is: Do we have the board we need for the world that’s coming?
For organizations willing to rethink composition, invest in capability-building, and attract directors with the mindset and mastery required for the next era, the answer can be a confident yes.
For more information on Vantedge Search, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Expert's Corner –
What's Trending?
Insights from Industry Leaders on Strengthening Boardroom Governance
The expert perspectives below underscore why modern boards must strengthen their governance foundations. Recent insights from Harvard Business Review on CEO-to-chair transitions illustrate how governance discipline directly shapes leadership continuity.
Harry Kraemer, former CEO and Chair of Baxter International
In the HBR article, Harry Kraemer, former CEO and chair of Baxter International, calls attention to the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between the CEO and the board chair. He states: “The only real operational decision the chairman should make is, ‘Do we have the right CEO?’ The chairman leads the board and provides governance, the CEO drives strategy and operations.” His view is used to show how lack of clarity can create role confusion.
Bruce Johnson, former CEO and current chair of GHX
The same article highlights Bruce Johnson, former CEO and current chair of GHX, who emphasizes the need for structured and transparent succession planning. He notes: “A carefully constructed and communicated succession plan is the key. I over-indexed my efforts into making sure all stakeholders understood the plan and carefully nurtured the execution.” His experience is referenced to demonstrate how rushed or unclear handovers can result in organizational dysfunction.
Source: When the CEO Becomes Board Chair
Judene Edgar, CMInstD JP
Principal Advisor – Governance Leadership & Chapter Zero NZ Lead at Institute of Directors in New Zealand
In her March 2025 article “Embedding sustainability in the boardroom,” Judene Edgar notes that while sustainability has firmly entered boardroom discussions, many directors still struggle to integrate it meaningfully into governance. She highlights that sustainability is both a legal duty of directors and fundamental to long-term corporate resilience, yet boards often remain compliance-focused rather than proactive. Citing research by Professor Andreas Rasche of Copenhagen Business School, Edgar points to three enablers—structure, mindset, and competencies—as essential for moving sustainability from passive oversight to active stewardship, enabling boards to address legal, value, management, investor and stakeholder imperatives with greater clarity and purpose.
Source: Embedding sustainability in the boardroom | Chapter Zero
Executive Movements:
Leadership Transitions & Strategic Pivots
CXO Movements
Qatar Airways
Hamad Ali Al-Khater has been named CEO of Qatar Airways, succeeding Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, who exits the role after just two years. Al-Khater previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport, following a career at QatarEnergy in senior strategic roles. The abrupt transition marks the airline’s second leadership change since Akbar Al Baker’s 27-year tenure ended in 2023.
Source: Qatar Airways Gets New CEO, Effective Immediately: What Went Wrong?! – One Mile at a Time
Paramount
John Halley, Paramount’s President of Advertising, will step down after 18 years with the company. Halley, who has led ad sales since 2022, will remain through March 2026 in an advisory role to support a transition to new CRO Jay Askinasi, formerly of Roku. A key industry voice and chair of OpenAP, Halley is credited with reshaping Paramount’s ad strategy, including the launch of EyeQ and the company’s exit from traditional upfront week events.
Source: Paramount Ad Sales Chief John Halley Exiting
LG Electronics
Lyu Jae-cheol, head of LG’s Home Appliance Solution division, has been appointed CEO effective December 1, 2025, succeeding William Cho. A 36-year LG veteran, Lyu will focus on strengthening core businesses and expanding B2B and D2C operations. The shake-up also promotes Eun Seok-hyun and James Lee to president roles to accelerate growth in vehicle solutions and HVAC, as LG restructures for agility and long-term competitiveness.
Source: Press Release | Media | LG
LaSalle Investment Management
Brad Gries has been appointed Global CEO and Tim Kessler named President of LaSalle Investment Management, effective January 1, 2026. They succeed Mark Gabbay, who will transition to Executive Chairman after leading the firm through strong growth and global expansion. Gries will continue as Head of the Americas, while Kessler, currently Global COO, will focus on executing LaSalle’s global strategy as the firm manages US$88.5 billion in assets.
Source: LaSalle announces global leadership transition
Avalara
Ross Tennenbaum is leaving his position as President of Avalara to join an unnamed public company, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal. Tennenbaum, who joined the tax software firm in 2019 and previously served as CFO, played a key role during Avalara’s 2022 acquisition by Vista Equity Partners and its subsequent relocation from Seattle to North Carolina.
Source: Expedia names first AI chief; former Textio CEO goes to Microsoft
Reliance Retail Ventures
Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) has appointed Jeyandran Venugopal, former Flipkart Chief Product and Technology Officer, as President and CEO. Venugopal will work closely with Isha Ambani and the Reliance leadership team under Mukesh Ambani’s guidance as the retailer gears up for a potential IPO. With over 25 years of experience at Flipkart, Myntra, Amazon, and Yahoo, he will focus on driving omni-channel expansion and technology-led transformation across RRVL’s portfolio.
Source: Reliance Retail Ventures appoints former Flipkart Executive Jeyandran Venugopal as CEO
BMW Group Asia
BMW Group Asia has named Rene Gerhard as its new Managing Director, effective February 1, 2026. A BMW veteran since 2002, Gerhard brings over 20 years of international experience across Germany, India, Australia, and Thailand. He succeeds current leadership in Singapore and will oversee growth across BMW’s diverse Asia markets, reporting to Ritu Chandy, Senior Vice President for Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
Source: BMW Group Asia names Rene Gerhard as new Managing Director from February 2026
Meta
Meta’s Chief Revenue Officer, John Hegeman, is leaving to launch his own startup, marking another high-profile exit amid the company’s AI pivot. His responsibilities will shift to Andrew Bocking, while Naomi Gleit steps in to lead Business AI.
Also, Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun and Business AI head Clara Shih are departing as Meta ramps up its Superintelligence Labs initiative.
Source: Meta’s chief revenue officer John Hegeman leaves to launch startup – The Hindu
GitLab
GitLab Inc. has named Jessica Ross as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective January 15, 2026, succeeding interim CFO James Shen. Ross, formerly with Salesforce and Frontdoor, will oversee global finance, accounting, and investor relations as GitLab advances its DevSecOps innovation. Her appointment follows GitLab’s strong Q3 FY2026 performance, with 25% revenue growth year over year.
Source: GitLab Appoints Jessica Ross As Chief Financial Officer
Bacardi India
Bacardi India has named Goodies Narayanan as Director of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer. Narayanan, who previously led Coursera’s international marketing and growth, will oversee consumer and customer marketing for Bacardi’s premium portfolio, including Patrón, Grey Goose, and Bombay Sapphire. A former Hotstar VP of Marketing, she brings extensive experience in scaling consumer brands and championing data-driven marketing and diversity in leadership.
Source: Bacardi India appoints Goodies Narayanan as Director of Marketing (CMO)
URW
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has appointed Kathleen Verelst as Chief Investment Officer and member of its Management Board, effective January 1, 2026. With over 30 years of global real estate experience, Verelst previously advised URW on its deleveraging strategy and the successful divestment of 17 U.S. assets worth $3.3 billion between 2021 and 2024.
Source: URW appoints Kathleen Verelst as Chief Investment Officer
CBRE
CBRE has appointed Sandro Höselbarth as Managing Director, Head of Valuation & Advisory Services Germany, effective January 1, 2026. A CBRE veteran with over 25 years of real estate experience, including 18 years at the firm, Höselbarth will oversee commercial and residential valuation operations nationwide, building on his success leading CBRE’s residential valuation business since 2008.
Source: CBRE appoints Sandro Höselbarth as Head of Valuation & Advisory Services Germany | CBRE Germany
Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield has named Álvaro Alonso as Head of the Living and Corporate Finance Division in Spain. Joining as an International Partner and Board Member, Alonso brings over 20 years of real estate finance experience spanning M&A, investment, and special situations. He previously served as a Partner at EY and spent much of his career at Colliers International, where he was Managing Partner of Corporate Finance.
Source: People moves: LaSalle IM names Gries global CEO, Kessler appointed president | News | Real Assets
Apple
Apple is facing its largest leadership shake-up in decades, with AI chief John Giannandrea, interface design head Alan Dye, general counsel Katherine Adams, and government affairs chief Lisa Jackson all stepping down within a week. The exits highlight a generational shift among Apple’s senior ranks and intensify pressure on CEO Tim Cook as the company races to strengthen its AI capabilities amid fierce competition from Meta and OpenAI.
Source: Apple rocked by executive departures, with chip chief at risk of leaving next
Apple has named Amar Subramanya, a former Microsoft and Google executive, as its new head of artificial intelligence, succeeding long-time AI chief John Giannandrea, who will retire in spring 2026. Subramanya, most recently Microsoft’s Corporate VP of AI, will report to Craig Federighi and oversee Apple’s foundation models, AI research, and safety. The shake-up marks Apple’s biggest AI leadership shift since launching Apple Intelligence in 2024.
Expedia Group
Expedia Group has named Xavier Amatriain, former VP of AI and Compute Enablement at Google, as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence and Data Officer. Reporting to CTO Ramana Thumu, Amatriain will lead the company’s global AI and data strategy, leveraging generative and machine learning technologies to transform travel experiences across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.
Source: Expedia Group
Microsoft
Kieran Snyder, co-founder and former CEO of Textio, has rejoined Microsoft as Vice President of AI Transformation. Snyder, who began her career at Microsoft in 2004, aims to position the company as a “living case study” for effective and human-centered AI adoption. She continues to serve on Textio’s board of directors.
Nebius
Vinita Ananth, a former leader at Microsoft and Amazon, has joined cloud computing company Nebius as Senior Director of Product. Based in the Seattle area, Ananth departs her stealth startups HelpViber and FulcrumAX, calling the move “difficult and emotional.” She will remain involved as advisor and co-founder as the ventures pursue growth and funding milestones.
PayPal
PayPal has appointed Bo English-Wiczling as Vice President of Global Developer Relations. Based in Seattle, English-Wiczling joins from Oracle, where she spent nearly nine years in database product management and developer relations. A former Amazon and Best Buy executive, she will focus on strengthening PayPal’s global developer ecosystem and community engagement.
Source: Expedia names first AI chief; former Textio CEO goes to Microsoft
Insights: Inferring the why
The wave of global executive transitions indicate that leadership is being redefined to meet a new era of technological disruption, governance rigor, and operational accountability. These appointments, spanning industries and functions, reveal how organizations are repositioning themselves for resilience and relevance in a constantly evolving market.
- AI and Data Leadership Are Now Core to Enterprise Strategy
The rise of new AI and data roles indicates that advanced technology capabilities are no longer peripheral — they sit at the center of strategic decision-making. Boards are prioritizing leaders who can translate technical innovation into measurable business outcomes. - Succession Planning Is Becoming a Governance Imperative
Planned transitions and internal promotions point to a stronger emphasis on continuity and institutional memory. Organizations are formalizing leadership pipelines to mitigate disruption and ensure strategic alignment through transformation cycles. - Operational Discipline Is Replacing the Growth-at-All-Costs Mindset
There’s a clear pivot toward financially astute and operations-oriented leaders. Companies are valuing executives who can deliver efficiency, manage capital prudently, and sustain profitability amid global market pressures. - Hybrid Roles Reflect the Convergence of Business Functions
Modern CXOs increasingly operate at the intersections of product, technology, customer experience, and revenue. This signals a structural shift toward integrated leadership models where cross-functional collaboration drives competitive advantage. - Global Experience and Leadership Diversity Are Strategic Assets
Boards are deliberately seeking leaders with multicultural exposure, diverse perspectives, and adaptive leadership styles. This reflects a recognition that inclusivity and global acumen enhance innovation, resilience, and brand credibility. - Leadership Moves Are Also Strategic Market Signals
The timing and visibility of appointments suggest that leadership changes serve a broader purpose: reinforcing investor confidence, highlighting transformation intent, and signaling readiness for capital events such as IPOs or restructurings.
Taken together, these shifts underscore that adaptability, data fluency, and cross-functional intelligence now define enduring leadership. The modern enterprise is not just replacing leaders; it is actively reshaping what leadership means.
Staying Relevant at the Top
As board expectations evolve, so do the demands placed on the leaders who will eventually shape those boardrooms. While the cover story explores the capabilities boards must strengthen in 2026, senior executives today face a parallel question: What must they develop to remain effective—and relevant—as the landscape shifts around them? The following career imperatives reflect emerging expectations for CXOs navigating increasingly complex, cross-boundary environments.
- Cultivate Influence in Non-Hierarchical Arenas
Future CXOs must demonstrate the ability to move outcomes in spaces where they hold no formal authority: joint ventures, ecosystem projects, multi-business collaborations and cross-functional coalitions. This is not informal networking; it is a measurable leadership capability that proves a leader can create alignment without relying on positional power.
- Sharpen the Ability to Turn Ambiguity into Operational Clarity
Boards increasingly seek leaders who can distill direction from incomplete, contradictory or fast-changing information. This is a cognitive discipline – filtering noise, framing choices, and reducing uncertainty for teams – and it is becoming a defining attribute of executive judgement in volatile environments.
- Develop a Distinct Governance Voice
Executives aspiring to future board roles must learn to communicate in a way that elevates discussion rather than expands detail. A governance voice is concise, assumption-aware, and pattern-oriented, connecting issues to risk, time horizons and strategic consequences. It is a style and discipline fundamentally different from operational communication.
- Demonstrate Repeatable Decision Architecture
Modern boards evaluate not only what decisions leaders make, but how they make them. CXOs who show a consistent, structured approach to evaluating trade-offs, testing scenarios and closing decisions build credibility as predictable, replicable decision-makers, a trait increasingly valued in uncertain environments.
- Build a Track Record of Complexity Reduction
Executives who simplify organizational environments — through boundary-setting, conflict de-escalation, focused prioritization and process decluttering — are becoming highly sought after. Complexity reduction is emerging as a core executive differentiator: leaders who lighten the organization’s load accelerate performance in ways that exceed traditional operational skill.
Conclusion
The senior leaders who thrive in the coming years will be those who expand their range, beyond functional excellence, beyond authority-driven leadership, and beyond traditional operating modes. These capabilities do not mirror what boards require; rather, they complement them. By building influence in non-hierarchical settings, sharpening decision rhythm, communicating with governance discipline, simplifying complexity, and clarifying ambiguity, CXOs position themselves not only for immediate effectiveness but for long-term relevance in a world where leadership itself is being redefined.