Navigating the future of C-suite

The past year or so has been tumultuous to say the least. Organisations have endured a myriad of challenges, from economic headwinds and disruptive technologies to global instability and environmental concerns. But amid these obstacles come new opportunities, along with an emerging breed of C-suite roles rising to the forefront.

Drawing from our survey of 500 C-suite professionals across several sectors, we consider some of the key decisions executives must take in the coming year to ensure their personal success, and that of their business. We’ll examine:

• Core challenges to overcome in 2025
• Top skills executives are developing
• Emerging C-suite titles
• Trends surrounding succession plans

Challenges defining 2025

As identified by C-suite professionals, the top two areas for growth were revenue and/or profits, tied with product/service optimisation (45%) – business as usual then for many private sector organisations. However, it’s the intricate web of internal and external challenges complicating delivery of these objectives.

Looking internally, 22% of executives said adapting and implementing new technology would be the greatest challenge over the coming 12 months – a higher priority than developing an environmentally sustainable business (13%), and balancing productivity alongside hybrid working (12%).

There’s a clear link between an organisation’s top internal obstacles and the outside world, with C-suite professionals saying their greatest external challenges are emerging technology (18%) and the increased cyber risk (17%). Not far behind, 14% cited a shortage of skilled people, whilst 12% point to the wider economic environment.

While technology stands as a top priority, the even range of our survey’s responses speaks volumes, illustrating the complex variety of challenges jostling for the C-suite’s attention. Leaders will therefore be required to field a robust set of skills – both soft and technical – when navigating their organisation through this sea of change. But which of these competencies do executives consider to be the most beneficial?

The top skills for the future C-suite

Despite the perception that the C-suite is too preoccupied to invest in self-development, senior professionals believe they are always (49%) or mostly (49%) given the time and opportunities to develop the skills necessary to their role. Ranking the top soft skills needed – capabilities that are increasingly recognised for their resilience to change – C-suite professionals rated problem-solving (35%), communication and interpersonal skills (32%) and critical thinking (30%) to be the most important.

While traditional leadership skills remain a necessity, understanding emerging tech shouldn’t be discounted, and it’s clear that becoming comfortable with AI tools is high on the agenda for most leaders. Nine-in-ten (90%) of C-suite respondents intend to upskill in AI over the next 12 months, with this being even higher (95%) for those working in larger organisations (more than 500 employees). The desire to better understand AI is unsurprising given its sweeping influence across the world of work, but also amid the growing realisation that the tech still isn’t being used to its full potential. And with almost every leader we surveyed saying their organisation has undergone a digital transformation in the past 12 months (98%), it isn’t just CIOs and CTOs who could benefit from AI literacy.

New challenges, new C-suite

The growing number of C-suite titles underscores the increasing complexity of leadership, with emerging roles rising to meet the latest challenges head-on. But which of these titles do leaders view to be the most important?

Nearly half (46%) of our surveyed senior professionals crowned the Chief AI Officer as the most influential up-and-coming C-suite area in the next two to three years. This choice reflects organisations’ desire to align AI strategies with business goals, and over a quarter (26%) of respondents consider rapid technological advancement to be the most important factor influencing the future of C-suite – ranking higher than the requirement to meet sustainable goals (19%).

While it’s clear that forward-thinking leaders who can promote the responsible and ethical use of AI and other emerging tech will be in high demand, wider challenges are also calling for new specialist leaders. Contrary to concerns that sustainability and DE&I initiatives may have been deprioritised in the corporate agenda, our research revealed Chief Sustainability Officer (30%) to be the next most influential C-suite title, followed closely by the people-orientated Chief Diversity Officer (28%) and Chief Empowerment Officer (28%).

How are executives planning their successor?

No leader wants to leave an organisation worse off than when they started, and a smooth transition is mutually beneficial for all parties. Research suggests that today’s executives typically have shorter tenures than years past, and planning a potential successor has become a day one responsibility. Looking at their succession plans, our C-suite respondents shared several personal actions they’ve taken.

Over half (51%) say they have designed a leadership development programme, while 47% said they have identified potential internal candidates, suggesting a desire to maintain intellectual capital within the organisation.

However, C-suite professionals haven’t discounted external candidates; 44% have identified a suitable talent pipeline, and over two in five (42%) said they had worked with a talent expert when scouting a suitable successor. As well as saving time and resources, working with an executive search expert is an excellent way of ensuring an inclusive hiring process, tapping into broader talent pools and helping to diversify your leadership team.

“We have seen clients increasing investment in mentoring schemes as well as coaching services for individuals at Director level to help mitigate gaps in their own internal talent pipeline for the C-suite,” says Andrew Timlin, Director at Hays. “With our closest clients, we would routinely discuss potential succession events arising in the longer term, as well as being involved in planning around corporate transformation and restructure challenges. This allows us to engage in soft market testing, feeding in data around role responsibilities, job titles or recommended compensation which can facilitate a more successful search campaign when it’s time to launch.”

Going beyond the label

If there’s one recurring trend from our research, it’s that executives can expect emerging technology to play a defining role in their future business decisions and personal career choices – no matter their industry or specific title. And as business’ needs become increasingly intricate, and the threats they’re exposed to more varied, executives may find themselves crossing paths with different departments and functions.

It’s evident that the future C-suite must find a way to balance a complexity of competing internal and external challenges; quite possibly requiring them to break away from the confines of their title’s acronym when considering the bigger picture and creating a lasting impact.

If you’re looking to find the right leader for your organisation, our executive appointment service offers a data-driven and tailored solution.