Conducting an Executive Search for a CEO to be embedded as a collaborative leader, empowering staff to work within cross functional teams building capability and creating opportunity and accountability across the organisation.
The Brief
In July 2023 Future Leadership™ was engaged to partner on the executive search for a new Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of the previous incumbent.
Through numerous meetings with all members of the Board, Future Leadership™ ascertained our client was looking for a CEO who would be embedded as a collaborative leader, empowering staff to work within cross functional teams building capability, creating opportunity and accountability across the organisation. The development of a high performing culture was also key for success of the organisation. The incoming CEO would be an inspirational leader with the ability to navigate a complex landscape and stakeholder environment and bridge the gap between the scientists and the strong commercial lens of the Board, ensuring greater impact and outcomes through the commercialisation of technology innovations for that state’s agricultural sector.
Candidate net Promote Score
Future Leadership combines truly personalised relationships with innovative technology solutions to ensure an approachable and efficient process for all our Net Promoter Score across clients, successful candidates and unsuccessful candidates is well above industry standard.
Candidates supported every year
We maintain genuine relationships with past candidates and continue to support them with leadership solutions long term, after they land their role.
Senior Women Appointed since 2002
Over half of the executive search assignments undertaken by our team have resulted in the appointment of outstanding female or LGBTQI+ leaders to high profile roles.
Candidate Retention Rate for 12 months since 2002
Our thorough briefing process and ability to engage passive candidates mean that we go to great lengths to find the right person for the role – long term!
The Process
The Future Leadership team led by Sandra Kerr, included the following key steps:
- Targeted Search and Talent Pooling: The team developed a robust search plan that targeted individuals with experience leading a science-based commercialisation company and navigating and building strong partnerships/relationships across a complex stakeholder environment at the CEO level.
- Comprehensive Shortlisting and Evaluation: Future Leadership™ drew on recent candidate searches and prospective candidates from our search mapping, quickly identifying a qualified and diverse pool. A shortlist was developed, highlighting candidates with robust experience leading a science based commercialisation company.
- Panel Interviews and Strategic Presentation: A total of 65 applications were received with the selection panel interviewing over three rounds of panel interviews. Rigorous 360-degree reference checks were completed and written reports were submitted to the selection panel for their final decision. The preferred candidate was identified and offered the role within the set timeline.
The Executive Search team targeted search and close collaboration with the selection panel enabled an efficient and effective appointment process.
Emerging Capabilities
Culture and Engagement
Engages stakeholders inclusively with sensitivity and regard for diversity and facilitates a psychologically safe environment for social or cultural differences affecting behaviour.
Communication and Influence
Communicates with clarity and impact to facilitate individual and collective understanding, inspire action and enable information exchange. Leverages human-centric communication and storytelling to effectively influence stakeholders across the physical and virtual realms.
Organisational Capability
Anticipates future workplace skills and requirements and builds capability across the organisation. Pro-actively seeks opportunities to develop other people’s talent and career pathways and takes appropriate action to address skill gaps in others.
Critical Thinking
Examines information for assumptions and gaps in logic; reframes problems and presents well-reasoned insights accommodating diverse perspectives. Persistent in asking insightful questions, enabling complex strategic judgements to be made across multiple dimensions.
Personal Growth
Adopts a growth mindset and is motivated to continuously develop one's own knowledge, skills, and personal attributes through continued learning. Recognises when a learned behaviour is no longer useful. Reflects regularly on performance and ways to improve.
Commercial Acumen
Provides a deep understanding of relevant industry, marketplace and business drivers as applicable to the organisation. Leverages the application of commercial tools and frameworks to manage opportunities, conflicts and trade offs. Able to focus on customer service requirements and acts proactively to raise the customer experience.
Initiative and Drive
Leads self by working independently, setting and attaining personal and work related goals, and demonstrating motivation and responsibility for their own actions. Demonstrates awareness of personal strengths and improvement areas. Effectively relates to others in a professional manner.
The Outcome
The successful candidate, an experienced executive across leadership, commercialisation, government and science, commenced in November 2023. Known for being a senior leader across multiple teams playing to her strengths of collaboration, bringing together multiple views for decision making and her ability to be decisive and make difficult decisions. Key impacts of the new CFO included:
- Entrepreneurship: The CEO will review current activities and lead the development of a focused pipeline for commercialisation of assets, that delivers impact for the Victorian agricultural sector and financial outcomes for reinvestment for the future.
- Leadership and Culture: The CEO will be embedded as a collaborative leader who empowers staff to work within cross functional teams building capability, creating opportunity and accountability across the organisation, and not compromising on the development of a high performing culture.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The CEO will build trusted and collaborative relationships across the ecosystem as a forward facing leader, with a key focus on building credibility, forming a joint role of identification and characterisation of assets.
- Board relationship: The CEO will build an open and transparent working relationship with the highly technical and skilled board.
- Political Acumen and contextual/environmental understanding: The CEO will be a leader who can navigate a complex landscape including government or regulated environments.
