Leadership Advisory

Succession & Future Leadership:

Leadership continuity is a critical driver of value creation, resilience and long-term performance during periods of transition and change. 

We support Boards, investors and executive leaders in anticipating leadership transitions, reducing succession risk and preparing the next generation of leaders.

Our Conviction

Turning Leadership Transitions into Drivers of Continuity, Value Creation and Growth

At SBT Executive, we help organisations strengthen leadership continuity and transform critical transitions into opportunities for stability, performance and long-term growth.

In today’s environment of technological disruption, shifting governance models and accelerating business cycles, succession is no longer an HR process. It is a strategic governance issue that directly influences organisational resilience, value creation and long-term performance.

Our Four Succession & Future Leadership Solutions

  • Succession Planning: Identifying critical roles, assessing succession risks and building leadership continuity plans over a 12 to 36-month horizon.
  • Leadership Transition Coaching: Supporting incoming and outgoing leaders to ensure continuity, accelerate integration and strengthen leadership impact during critical transitions.
  • AI & Future Leadership: Preparing leaders and executive teams for AI-enabled organisations, evolving decision-making models and the leadership challenges of the future.
  • M&A & Leadership Continuity: Protecting leadership effectiveness, organisational stability and cultural continuity during acquisitions, mergers, integrations and carve-outs.

Governance, Leadership and Transformation

This practice is led by experienced international advisors with extensive exposure to leadership transitions, governance challenges and organisational transformation.

  • Laurent Riffault: Leading Partner with more than 20 years of international HR leadership experience across Europe, the Middle East and North America. Former CHRO of Logicor (Blackstone), where he played a key role in one of the largest real estate transactions in Europe. His experience at Logicor, Michael Kors, The Walt Disney Company and DentalMonitoring includes leadership succession, organisational transformation and executive transition management.
  • Jean-Baptiste Durand: Advisor specialising in AI, organisational transformation and strategic leadership. With more than 15 years of experience in sports and entertainment, including Paris La Défense Arena and Racing 92, he supports organisations in modernising governance models and integrating AI into decision-making processes.

The F.U.T.U.R.E. Framework

Leadership continuity requires a proactive and forward-looking approach.

The F.U.T.U.R.E. framework is built around three complementary priorities:

  • Continuity: Securing succession plans, stabilising critical teams and preserving organisational culture.
  • Transition: Supporting leadership handovers, reorganisations and M&A situations through targeted executive coaching and transition support.
  • Future Capabilities: Preparing leaders and teams for emerging leadership challenges, including AI adoption, sustainability, cultural transformation and inclusive leadership.

By connecting governance, leadership and future capabilities, the F.U.T.U.R.E. framework helps organisations transform succession management into a driver of resilience, continuity and sustainable growth.

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Explore our approach

Succession Planning

Anticipating, Structuring and Securing Leadership Continuity

Succession is fundamentally a governance and leadership continuity issue.

We help organisations identify critical roles, assess internal leadership potential and build robust, scenario-based succession plans that support long-term organisational stability and performance.

Our objective is to strengthen leadership continuity, reduce succession risk and ensure organisations are prepared for leadership transitions in an increasingly complex and fast-moving environment.

Outcome: Stronger leadership pipelines, reduced key-person dependency and greater organisational resilience.

Key Challenges

  • Leadership transitions that are reactive rather than planned.
  • Limited visibility over critical roles, succession risks and leadership continuity exposure.
  • Internal successors who lack sufficient readiness, exposure or development opportunities.
  • Difficulty positioning succession as a strategic governance priority rather than an HR process.

Our Approach

We view succession planning as a critical driver of resilience, continuity and long-term value creation.
  • Critical Role Mapping: Identifying key leadership positions, organisational dependencies and potential continuity risks.
  • Leadership Potential & Readiness Assessment: Assessing internal talent through recognised tools and expert evaluation to measure leadership potential, readiness and development priorities (Saville, Hogan, Talent Reveal, 360° feedback and others).
  • Succession Scenario Planning: Building structured 12-36 month succession scenarios, incorporating development actions, mobility opportunities and alternative succession pathways.
  • Leadership Alignment & Governance: Creating a confidential and shared succession roadmap aligned with future business priorities, governance requirements and organisational strategy.

Client Benefits

  • Greater leadership continuity across critical positions.
  • Stronger retention and engagement of high-potential talent.
  • A leadership pipeline aligned with future organisational needs.
  • Reduced succession risk and improved organisational resilience.
  • Increased confidence in leadership transition and continuity planning.

Key Experts

  • Laurent Riffault : Leading Partner,  Specialist in succession planning, leadership continuity and international governance environments.
  • Kris Perquy: Senior Partner – Leadership assessment and performance specialist, supporting the identification and development of future leaders.
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Succession Transition

Accelerating the impact of new leaders and securing critical leadership transitions.

Leadership transitions are not simply about replacing one leader with another. They are about ensuring continuity, preserving momentum and enabling a successor to establish credibility, authority and impact from the outset.

We support leaders stepping into critical positions following the departure of a long-serving CEO, founder or senior executive, as well as during periods of governance change, succession or organisational transformation.

Our approach helps leaders clarify priorities, strengthen their leadership position, navigate stakeholder expectations and establish the conditions for long-term success.

This is not onboarding. It is a strategic transition process designed to accelerate leadership effectiveness and secure the success of a leadership mandate from day one.

Outcome: Faster leadership impact, stronger stakeholder alignment and greater continuity during critical transitions.

Key Challenges

  • Succeeding a long-serving, founder-led or highly influential leader.
  • Managing expectations from the Board, executive team and key stakeholders.
  • Preserving cultural continuity while establishing a new leadership direction.
  • Building credibility, authority and trust quickly in a high-visibility role.

Our Approach

A structured and highly targeted programme designed to secure the first 6 to 9 months of a leadership transition.
  • 1. Leadership Context & Legacy Assessment: Analysing stakeholder expectations, organisational dynamics, critical sensitivities and the elements of continuity that must be preserved.
  • 2. Leadership Transition Coaching: Strengthening executive presence, stakeholder influence, strategic communication and Board alignment.
  • 3. Organisational Alignment: Supporting engagement with key stakeholders and leadership teams to establish credibility, alignment and effective decision-making.
  • 4. Calibration & Ongoing Support: Providing regular feedback, transition reviews and targeted adjustments to reinforce leadership effectiveness and accelerate impact.

Client Benefits

  • Faster, smoother and more credible leadership transitions.
  • Stronger authority and alignment with the Board and Executive Committee.
  • Accelerated impact on critical decisions and strategic priorities.
  • Reduced political, cultural and organisational transition risks.
  • Greater confidence in the long-term success of the leadership transition.

Key Experts

  • Antoine Leygonie : Leading Partner – International specialist in executive transitions, leadership effectiveness and complex organisational environments.
  • Kris Perquy : Senior Partner – Leadership and performance specialist supporting executives operating in demanding and high-performance environments.
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AI & Future Leadership

Securing leadership continuity and protecting human capital during strategic transitions.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way organisations operate, make decisions and create value. As AI becomes embedded in business processes, leadership itself is evolving.

We help leaders understand the implications of AI for their organisations, teams and decision-making processes, not as a technology challenge, but as a leadership, governance and organisational transformation challenge.

At SBT Executive, we support executives in adapting their leadership approach, strengthening decision-making capabilities and preparing their organisations for a future where human judgment and artificial intelligence must work together effectively.

Outcome: Greater leadership readiness, stronger decision-making and a more resilient organisation in an AI-enabled environment.

Key Challenges

  • Limited understanding of the strategic, organisational and leadership implications of AI.
  • Executive teams that lack a shared perspective on how AI will reshape decision-making, governance and organisational effectiveness.
  • Risk of leadership obsolescence as technology adoption accelerates across industries.
  • Resistance, uncertainty or misalignment within teams facing rapid technological change.
  • Difficulty translating AI opportunities into practical leadership and organisational actions.

Our Approach

We support leaders and executive teams through a structured four-step journey designed to strengthen leadership readiness in an AI-enabled environment.
  • 1. AI & Leadership Readiness Assessment: Assessing digital maturity, governance, decision-making processes, organisational readiness and leadership capabilities.
  • 2. Executive Learning Experiences: Facilitated workshops exploring the strategic, organisational, ethical and leadership implications of AI.
  • 3. Leadership in the Age of AI: Strengthening decision-making, communication, influence and leadership effectiveness in increasingly AI-enabled organisations.
  • 4. Organisational Adoption & Leadership Integration: Supporting leaders in adapting governance practices, management approaches and ways of working to maximise the value of AI.

Client Benefits

  • Greater clarity regarding the opportunities, risks and implications of AI.
  • Leadership teams better equipped to make informed decisions in AI-enabled environments.
  • Stronger anticipation of organisational, cultural and governance challenges.
  • More effective integration of AI into leadership and management practices.
  • Increased leadership readiness for the future of work and decision-making.

Key Expert

  • Jean-Baptiste Durand Senior Advisor – Specialist in AI transformation, digital strategy and organisational design. He helps leaders connect technology, governance and human performance to create sustainable competitive advantage.
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M&A & Leadership Continuity

Protecting human capital during critical strategic transitions.

Every merger, acquisition, carve-out or divestment places leadership continuity and human capital under significant pressure.

We support leaders, Boards and investors in identifying, protecting and mobilising critical talent, ensuring that leadership continuity and organisational stability remain intact throughout the transaction process.

Successful transactions are not driven by financial metrics alone. They depend on an organisation’s ability to retain key talent, maintain leadership effectiveness, preserve critical knowledge and sustain execution during periods of uncertainty and change.

Our approach helps organisations reduce human capital risk, strengthen integration readiness and protect the value creation objectives that underpin the transaction.

Outcome: Greater leadership continuity, lower execution risk and stronger value creation throughout the transition.

Key Challenges

  • Loss, disengagement or uncertainty among critical talent during or following a transaction.
  • Limited visibility over leadership capabilities, organisational influence networks and succession risks.
  • Difficulty building a cohesive leadership team following a merger, acquisition or integration process.
  • Human capital risks that remain insufficiently assessed during traditional due diligence processes.
  • Execution and value creation risks linked to leadership disruption and organisational instability.

Our Approach

We position human capital as a strategic component of transaction success through a structured four-step approach.
  • 1. Human Capital Due Diligence: Assessing leadership capability, critical talent, organisational dependencies, retention risks and leadership continuity exposure.
  • 2. Leadership Mapping & Retention Strategy:  Identifying critical roles, key talent populations, influence networks and retention priorities to secure organisational stability throughout the transaction.
  • 3. Leadership Integration & Governance Alignment: Supporting leadership teams in aligning governance, decision-making processes, leadership responsibilities and organisational culture following the transaction.
  • 4. Post-Transaction Monitoring: Tracking leadership effectiveness, talent retention, organisational stability and integration progress during the first 90 to 180 days.

Client Benefits

  • A clear and objective view of leadership and human capital risks.
  • Greater leadership continuity throughout the transaction lifecycle.
  • Stronger retention of critical talent and organisational knowledge.
  • Reduced execution, organisational and reputational risks.
  • Faster integration and stronger alignment around post-transaction priorities.
  • Improved confidence in achieving value creation objectives.

Key Expert

  • Laurent Riffault  Specialist in leadership continuity, governance and human capital risk management in complex M&A and transformation environments.
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