70% of New CEOs Fail
Source: Gartner · Heidrick & Struggles · Stanford Rock Centre · The Conference Board · Institute of Executive Development
I help you join the 30% who succeed
Executive Coaching
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MCC Master Certified Coach · BCC Board Certified Coach · 25,000+ Coaching Hours · Coaching Practice Est. 2001
Private Sector: SAP · Nokia · SimCorp · BNP Paribas · Société Generale · American Express · FedEx · Maersk · Disney · Olam International · Coats Plc · Avaya · Akzo Nobel · Siemens · Bank of Singapore · ING · TMB · DiGi · Clariant · DSM-Firmenich · Total · among others
Public Sector: EDB · Monetary Authority of Singapore · Prime Minister's Office · A*STAR · GovTech · SGInnovate · Design Singapore
The transition that derails most new CEOs
Every year, 15% of general management roles globally need to be filled. 76% of companies do not have a ready successor in place, so they either promote someone who is not quite ready, or hire from outside. The result: 70% of new CEO appointments fail to meet performance expectations within the first eighteen months.
The research is consistent across major leadership institutions.*
And the research also tells us why.
It is not capability. The people being appointed to these roles are experienced, intelligent, and proven. They have earned the position.
Only 7% of companies formally assign a coach or mentor to their most senior appointments.
So 93% of newly appointed CEOs navigate the hardest transition of their career without structured support.
What nobody told you is what you are actually walking into.
Your leadership team is watching and waiting to see what changes. They are often not a leadership team at all; they are a group of functional heads. Every cross-functional conversation escalates to you, making it impossible to find the time for strategic thinking when you are constantly being pulled into the operational detail.
At the same time, the Board expects a strategy; the Business expects results; the Organisation expects stability. All three, simultaneously, while you are still learning what you have actually inherited.
And there is nobody to think any of this through with, openly and honestly, without consequence.
That is where I come in.
* Source: Gartner · Heidrick & Struggles · Stanford Rock Centre · The Conference Board · Institute of Executive Development
How the work happens
Every engagement starts with the CEO. That is always the entry point. From there, the work can extend into the organisation at whatever depth is needed, from the leadership team all the way through the management population.
Not every engagement covers all five levels. The scope is always determined by what the organisation actually needs.
Level 1 — CEO 1:1 Coaching
The engagement begins with a structured kick-off, establishing clearly why we are doing this, what success looks like, and how I will know when we have achieved it.
From there I conduct stakeholder mapping: identifying the key relationships the new CEO needs to build, manage and develop. I run stakeholder interviews to gather real behavioural feedback, specific, factual, and actionable. And I teach the CEO how to work with their stakeholders on an ongoing basis, so that behavioural change is visible, recognised and sustained.
I work with CEOs on either an annual or quarterly basis, depending on the situation. Where a CEO is operating across multiple geographies and needs me on site at overseas locations for shadow coaching, I take on annual engagements, a full twelve-month commitment through a complete business cycle. Because of the travel commitment this involves, I work with a maximum of three CEOs at this level at any one time. Where the CEO is Singapore-based or does not require overseas shadow coaching, a quarterly engagement is the right structure, starting with a minimum of two quarters and extending as needed. All engagements are supported by TonyLatimer.ai, your 24/7 leadership development companion that speaks your language, giving you on-demand access to leadership learning and support between sessions.
Executive Coaching Case Studies
Global Software Company
European Headquarters, Germany
Candidate: Female · European
Transition: Regional COO to Regional President
Location: APAC & Europe
A global organisation run by Regional Presidents overseeing regional functional and country teams, with global oversight from European HQ. The candidate was moving up two levels in a lagging business — appointed by a European board with a reputation for swift action when results were not delivered. The brief was to help her step up and be successful. Success was defined as acceptance by subordinates, peers and board — and a demonstrable business turnaround.
Outcome: Business turnaround delivered. Candidate promoted to a global role at board level — the first woman appointed to the board. Tony subsequently coached her successor and his successor as each was promoted to the Regional President position.
Global Chemical Company
European Headquarters, Germany
Candidate: Female · Malaysian Chinese
Transition: New joiner to JV CEO
Location: APAC & Europe
The candidate was appointed CEO of a European joint venture with German JV partners — a proving ground role for a high potential leader identified for board-level progression. Success was defined as business continuity through a challenging period, solid relationship building with JV partner stakeholders, and demonstrating the maturity of approach and executive presence expected two levels above the current position.
Outcome: Business objectives achieved. Senior review confirmed performance and demonstrated potential to board level +2. The candidate has since been coached by Tony into a first regional CEO role in a different sector.
Every engagement starts the same way.
It starts with a conversation. We discuss where you are, where you need to be, and what needs to be done differently in order to get there. Everything else follows from that.
