Case Study
- Succession Planning
Succession Planning & Leadership Continuity in a High-Performing Marketing & Business Development Function
A highly specialized, mid-sized firm – competing successfully with Big Law – was preparing for a CMO transition.
The outgoing CMO had built a strong foundation and was respected across the partnership. Leadership wanted to honor that legacy and ensure a thoughtful transition. At the same time, the firm recognized that its next chapter required evolution: a more elevated M/BD function, deeper specialization, and new capabilities to sustain market share and double down on its distinct expertise.
The mandate was clear, and also delicate:
- Support the outgoing CMO’s transition with respect and clarity
- Identify and recruit a next-generation CMO aligned with future growth
- Ensure continuity, stability, and cultural cohesion throughout the process
Our Approach
We worked on two parallel tracks – succession strategy and executive search – carefully threading the needle between continuity and change.
Succession Planning
We partnered with firm leadership and the outgoing CMO to:
- Clarify legacy contributions and institutional strengths
- Define the future-state mandate for the role
- Ensure a dignified, well-communicated transition
- Preserve morale and stability within the M/BD team
This phase required discretion, diplomacy, and transparent communication, ensuring that evolution did not feel like repudiation.
Defining the Future CMO
Simultaneously, we conducted a market-informed search for a CMO capable of:
- Elevating the sophistication of the M/BD function
- Introducing new strategic capabilities
- Enhancing workflow synergies across the team
- Supporting high-demand practice leaders in a competitive market
Firm leadership entrusted us to engage closely with the existing M/BD team to understand strengths, development areas, and workflow dynamics, ensuring the incoming leader would complement and elevate, not disrupt.
Strategic Outcome
Our process was respectful, educational, and collaborative at every stage. We applied proprietary market intelligence, real-time compensation insight, and careful stakeholder alignment to ensure that both outgoing and incoming leaders were positioned for success.
- A seamless and dignified leadership transition
- Preservation of the outgoing CMO’s legacy and contributions
- Successful placement of a forward-looking CMO aligned with growth objectives
- Elevated team capabilities and clearer strategic direction
- Sustained market competitiveness in a firm operating alongside Big Law peers
Rather than tension or disruption, the firm experienced continuity with momentum.
Our Perspective
Succession planning at the C-suite level is never just about filling a role. It is about leadership continuity, cultural stewardship, and strategic inflection.
By balancing legacy with forward vision, and pairing diplomacy with market precision, we help firms transition into their next era without losing the strengths that brought them success.
Prepare your next generation of leaders through succession planning.
Identify high potential talent early, create clear pathways for advancement, and protect institutional knowledge through intentional leadership transition planning.
