X-factor for CXO jobs: Tackling turmoil, companies seek leaders skilled in managing disruption amid global uncertainty

In these times of AI-driven uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence, a track record of handling change and disruption is increasingly tilting the scales in favour of candidates when it comes to landing C-suite jobs.

Executive search firms and corporate leaders told ET that leaders who have prior experience with disruption often have the upper hand as they have proven their ability to turn uncertainty into opportunity. Amid the accelerating pace of change, senior professionals who have been able to pivot and successfully handle unexpected challenges in earlier roles are also often edging out competitors.

For instance, during a recent managing director search, a multinational chemical company chose a candidate despite his being almost 40% over budget, purely because of his proven ability to manage ambiguity and lead through change.


“That’s how valuable disruption-handling experience has become,” said Mala Chawla, managing director, India and Singapore, at executive search firm Stanton Chase that closed the job.

In the case of another search firm, tasked with the mandate of finding a CEO for a multinational manufacturer, a candidate’s experience in navigating transformation and disruption in his previous organisation and sector was one of the key factors that helped him bag the top job.

The scale of disruption now is unlike anything seen in many years, says K Sudarshan, managing director of executive search firm EMA Partners India. “The need of the hour is leaders who can manage it. We are looking at agility, people who have managed large-scale ups and downs, been nimble and able to pivot when required. It’s almost like changing the wheels of the car while driving,” said Sudarshan.

In an era of constant disruption, from geopolitics and climate change to AI and digital transformation, resilience has become the new intelligence, says Harsh Goenka, chairman of the Mumbai-based RPG Group.

“Earlier, boards looked for stability and operational excellence in CXOs. Today resilience is a core competency we look for in leaders,” he added.

Need to Reinvent Continuously

“The ability to anticipate change, pivot with purpose, and lead calmly through turbulence has become the single biggest differentiator,” he said. “We value leaders who don’t fear disruption, but reinvent themselves continually.”

Chawla cites another example of an MD-CEO search for a large financial group, where the ability to handle technology change was originally point five or six in the brief. By the time the job description was finalised, it had moved to number one.

Similarly, in sectors such as renewables and textiles, geopolitical uncertainty has made resilience and adaptability critical. The focus now is on who can prepare for exigencies and run the business the morning after a major disruption.

“In Covid, all we were talking about was digital; with IPOs, finance and governance became big; at the moment, the ability to manage disruption is one of the most important asks from leaders,” says Sonal Agrawal, managing partner, Accord India.

“Either your people will pivot and rise to the occasion or you find people who can do that. The ability to pull those skillsets to the fore at short notice for our clients while hiring leaders has also become critical for search firms,” says Agrawal.