High-Stakes Hiring.
Helping a leading financial institution make a critical CEO appointment – balancing cultural fit with the need for strategic transformation.
3 Big Wins
1
Clear differentiation of candidates
through deep, scenario-based assessment
2
Board-level confidence
in a data-backed decision on a high-stakes hire
3
Record performance
delivered by the new CEO in her first two quarters
The Challenge.
A leading financial institution needed a new CEO for a major subsidiary – an organization with strong potential but a long history of stability and tradition. The business required fresh strategic vision and growth momentum, while maintaining credibility with long-tenured employees. The search firm produced strong candidates, but relying on the same partner for assessment raised concerns about objectivity. The Group CEO wanted an independent, unbiased perspective to ensure the right leadership fit in a high-stakes context.
ORL’s scenario-based assessments and in-depth evaluations were instrumental. We got a clear, 360-degree view of how each candidate would lead - insightful, business-focused, and delivered in a way we could actually use to make the right call.
Our Approach.
We collaborated with the Group CEO, Board Chair, and search partner to design a tailored assessment experience for each finalist.
What we delivered:
- Defined a ‘whole person’ success profile for the CEO role – combining capabilities, critical experiences, personal qualities and risk factors.
- Conducted robust individual assessments including pre-work, a Leadership Impact Interview, and two high-stakes, custom simulations.
- Delivered clear, differentiated Leadership Impact reports with recommendations for the CEO and CHRO.
This was a pivotal appointment. The new CEO had to gain credibility with the legacy culture while having the backbone to lead transformation. We gave the panel a predictive read - not just on capability and style, but how each candidate would actually show up in the role. The data was instrumental in shaping the final decision.
The Impact.
Armed with insights from our assessment, the panel decided not to move forward with the initial finalists and instead launched a renewed search. The appointed CEO then re-engaged ORL for transition coaching, using the assessment insights to accelerate her impact from day one. ORL later supported the leadership team with strategy consulting. Within two quarters, the business delivered record results and set a breakthrough growth strategy in motion.
De-risk high-stakes selection. Make critical appointments with confidence. >>