Succession planning for leadership continuity

Prepare the bench and the plan so no critical leadership role is ever left exposed, with internal readiness and external market mapping combined.

Kessler

Kessler

Kessler

Succession Planning

Pipeline, understood first

Succession work begins with thorough mapping of the internal bench, external market, and the critical roles ahead. No plan is built before the leadership pipeline is understood at the level of individuals and timing.

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Built with long-standing partners

Our assessment specialists in psychometrics, competency design, and development planning are central to delivery. Succession work is only as good as the assessment behind it.

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About

the service

About

Succession planning for leadership continuity

Key metric

38+ pipelines

Searches completed

38+ pipelines designed

Typical duration

12 to 36 weeks

Succession planning for boards preparing for executive transition, grounded in thorough assessment and considered long-term continuity.

Our succession practice works with boards, founders, and investors planning for leadership transition. Every plan is preceded by bench review, market mapping, and assessment of internal and external candidates.

  • Board and CEO succession planning for private and investor-backed companies
  • Internal bench assessment, development planning, and readiness review
  • External market mapping to benchmark and complement the internal pipeline
  • Coordination with boards, investors, and HR leadership through transition

No succession decision is made before the pipeline has been thoroughly understood. The resulting plan is built to last, develop, and adapt over the years ahead.

Considered executive search and leadership begins here

Leaders found through research, judgement, and rigour.

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Diane Castellano

Diane Castellano

Managing partner

The rigour throughout the search was exceptional. The shortlist felt considered, benchmarked, and well matched, and they understood the mandate completely.

Eleanor Ashworth

Eleanor Ashworth

Board chair

From brief to onboarding, the process felt thoughtful and seamless. Search and assessment ran as one process, and the shortlist exceeded our expectations.

Lucas Walker

Lucas Walker

Founder & CEO

Working with Kessler felt like a true partnership from day one. The depth of assessment, referencing, and market insight changed how we approached the hire.

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Services

Senior leadership across technology, financial services, and life sciences.

94% offer accept
Retained executive search for senior leadership
Secure the senior leader your next stage depends on, assessed, referenced, and guided from the first brief through to a signed offer and onboarding.
180+ searches completed
94% offer accept
Retained Executive Search
01.
62+ assessments
Leadership assessment for critical hiring decisions
Know exactly who you are hiring before you commit, with structured evidence, psychometrics, and market benchmarking chosen over first impressions.
62+ leaders assessed
62+ assessments
Leadership Assessment
02.
38+ pipelines
Succession planning for leadership continuity
Prepare the bench and the plan so no critical leadership role is ever left exposed, with internal readiness and external market mapping combined.
38+ pipelines designed
38+ pipelines
Succession Planning
03.
Avg. 11 weeks
Board and non-executive director search
Strengthen the board with the independent expertise and challenge it is missing, through chair, non-executive, and committee appointments run with rigour.
26+ board appointments
Avg. 11 weeks
Board & NED Search
04.
Avg. 9 days
Interim leadership for organisations in transition
Put proven leadership in place within days when a departure, transformation, or leadership gap cannot wait for a full retained search to conclude.
32+ interim placements
Avg. 9 days
Interim Leadership
05.
120+ maps
Talent mapping, market intelligence, and benchmarks
See the whole market before you move, with named leaders, live compensation benchmarks, and documented intelligence built for confidential planning.
120+ markets mapped
120+ maps
Talent Mapping
06.