Boss up: CEOs fear age-old issue in new-style boardroom

AI, transformation demands and sustainability targets are driving the growth of a host of new roles in the boardroom, but most CEOs fear they will face the age-old problem of being unable to find bosses with the right skills and experience to do the job.

That’s according to new research from international recruitment firm Robert Half, “Towards the C-Suite 2035”, which reveals the vast majority (83%) of businesses expect the role of the chief AI officer will become increasingly important as they look for the best approach to tackling artificial intelligence.

Given the pace of change, it is perhaps unsurprising that a further 78% of CEOs expect the role of the chief technology transformation officer to also grow in value, while 73% predict that the chief sustainability officer will be more important as ESG pressures intensify.

Moreover, the study predicts that even traditional leadership roles will gain importance, specifically chief HR officers, which will be vital to deliver workforce transformation and succession planning, chief communications officers to manage strategic messaging and chief operations officers to ensure stability during these periods of change.

Interestingly, no-one mentioned chief marketing officers.

Yet despite the recognition of these emerging roles, nearly two-thirds (59%) of those surveyed expressed concerns around finding suitable candidates for their company, with many worried about talent availability, as these roles do not currently exist at scale.

However, the analysis did identify a range of skills that all leaders will need. Resilience (75%) and critical thinking (74%) were cited as important, followed by creativity (68%), innovative capacity (67%) and emotional intelligence (65%), which also ranked highly.

In addition, 60% stated that workforce transformation experience will be essential for the next generation of executives.

Robert Half Executive Search senior managing director Charlie Grubb said: “Given the significant transformation that we’re seeing in the corporate world due to the risks driven by emerging technologies, global market fluctuations and geopolitical tensions, it’s no surprise to see a range of emerging leadership positions developing within the boardroom.

“These roles will continue to evolve over the next decade, and while organisations may be concerned about finding the right talent today, the reality is that many of these capabilities are still emerging. However, the good news is that they can be developed. The attributes required for these positions already exist across the workforce, and the skills can – and should – be cultivated in all leaders.

“Ultimately, we are gaining a clearer understanding of how future leadership priorities are transforming. To succeed, boards will need to stay ahead of these emerging business and workforce trends – from digital transformation and AI integration, workforce evolution and talent strategy to trust, transparency and stakeholder communication.”