Executive Succession, NZ-Owned Growth Business
Key Features
- Multi-year, multi-role executive appointments
- Bespoke Success Profiles that meet evolving leadership needs
- Respectful treatment of long-serving internal candidates
After a long period of leadership stability and sustained growth, this highly successful New Zealand-owned organisation faced a wave of planned retirements within its executive team. At the same time, rapid expansion and increased complexity meant the founder needed a new calibre of executive leadership—one that could future-proof the business, drive strategic progress, and mature key organisational capabilities, all while respecting the culture and values that underpinned their success to date.
Cultivate was engaged over a three-year period to support the appointment of four new executives. Each role required a customised Success Profile that differed significantly from the incumbent’s scope, demanding a deeply consultative approach to shaping the brief.
With several long-tenured internal applicants involved in each process, it was critical to run an equitable and transparent process that maintained internal trust and engagement. Cultivate ensured these candidates had a fair opportunity to demonstrate their potential, while also supporting the organisation to explore and harness their strengths in alternative leadership pathways when they were not selected. This approach preserved institutional knowledge, honoured tenure, and maintained high levels of engagement and retention throughout a significant leadership transition.
