News & Insights

The CEO Struggle - Part 3: Sustaining the Leader

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:36:10 Z

It’s early evening, and a CFO takes a call. A headhunter has a tempting proposition: a multinational on an M&A drive is seeking a new CEO. Can she talk? The toplines sound great. A prestigious position in an outstanding organization. It's a natural step up. An intriguing challenge.

All these factors matter to an incoming CEO. But they are not enough. The organizational setting will be critical: from the board and C-suite team, to the firm’s higher purpose. So, too, the top executive’s access to a peer entourage, her attitudes, purpose and self-care.

“Usually, these factors are not considered enough,” says Fredy Hausammann, Managing Partner of Amrop in Switzerland. “If you have a legacy executive team and a non-executive board which aren’t ideally configured, you’ll have trouble.” In essence: “If the setting is right, you don't have to worry about the rest.”

When the pressure is on, how can a CEO stay resilient?

Data harmonization and integrated intelligence: Is your culture up to it?

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:56:16 Z

Hugo Martins - Portugal

One team. Borderless collaboration. Professional services firms are keen on these reassuring declarations. But the way data is shared may tell a different story. One that is more about protectionism than partnership.

In reality, many partnerships still run along multiple side alleys, rather than a single track. The transition from siloed data to unified, intelligence-driven operating models is complex for any business. For professional services firms, it may herald an existential crisis.

The transition doesn’t just rest on technical platforms or operations. It’s a cultural concern.

At the Center of Change: Three Decades of Digital in Poland

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:44:38 Z

Before founding dk Executive Search (now Amrop dk), Dorota Kolecka had watched Poland move from a planned economy to a functioning market system. It was already evident that the companies best positioned to grow were those investing seriously in leadership from the outset. In those early days, recruitment in Poland was demanding work, in a market that had spent four decades under a system where talent was assigned rather than recruited - but it offered a clear vantage point on what was coming.

What she could not fully anticipate was how quickly technology would become central to that growth story. In just three decades, Poland underwent one of the more significant industrial shifts in contemporary Europe - and she had the privilege of observing much of it firsthand.

From Labs to Leadership: Italy’s Life Sciences Evolution

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:48:51 Z

The Italian life sciences and medtech sector is a growing, highly R&D‑intensive industry, facing strong global competition and tightly regulated European compliance requirements. Technology, data and AI (especially for R&D and personalized medicine) are driving cross‑functional collaboration, demanding leaders with digital literacy, agility and strong ethical, patient‑centric judgment.

Expectations of senior talent profiles are expanding too: lifecycle knowledge, market‑access and regulatory experience is prioritized, as is cultural fit, and soft skills for leading complex, multi‑stakeholder teams.

Antonio Pellerano is President and Managing Partner of Amrop Italy and a member of Amrop's global Life Science Practice. He has expertise across the full spectrum of Life Sciences companies, including established and start-up pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device organizations.

The CEO Struggle - Part 2: The Quest For Resilience

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:49:27 Z

Every year, the media pounces upon a new cluster of high profile CEO exits. 2025 was no exception. It saw the resignations of X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, and the oustings of Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen and Kohl's CEO Ashley Buchanen.

Resilience has never mattered more for the CEO. Some characteristics remain fundamental, says Fredy Hausammann, Managing Partner of Amrop in Switzerland. Communication skills. Strategic ability. And cognitive and creative intelligence, "are amongst the most validated success factors.” Meanwhile, the need for other qualities is evolving. Naohiro “Nakki” Furuta is the Managing Partner of Amrop Jomon in Japan. He places less value today on overt charisma and power. “The current CEO needs more moderation, objectivity, ability to stay calm.”

The mountain top is bleak and exposed. How can it be made more habitable and fulfilling? A room from which CEOs can even occasionally enjoy the view?

Amrop Welcomes New Partners & Consultants in EMEA and Latam

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:05:11 Z

Amrop is pleased to announce the addition of new Partners and Consultants across Poland, Germany, Spain, and the Dominican Republic, enhancing our international footprint in executive search and leadership advisory.

These appointments reflect our ongoing commitment to connecting exceptional leadership talent with organizations navigating change and growth in a dynamic global environment.

With deep experience spanning senior executive search and board advisory, our new colleagues bring valuable insight and perspective - strengthening our ability to support clients in building resilient leadership teams and achieving sustainable success worldwide.

Steering Australia’s Twin Transition: Net-Zero and AI

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:33:27 Z

Warwick Peel is a Partner at Amrop in Australia, bringing his unique expertise at the intersection of finance, climate and artificial intelligence. A former investment banking and private equity search specialist, Warwick also co-chairs the Climate Committee for the United Nations in Australia, and has led senior appointments across carbon markets and responsible investment. At Amrop his focus is on executive roles and advisory work that help institutions and corporates navigate the coming AI and technology transition.

Warwick frames today’s moment as a twin transition. “The established net-zero imperative is running in parallel with a sweeping AI-driven tech transformation,” he says. “Industries that are not “tech-enabled” will soon be out of the game. I see AI not only as a productivity lever but as a structural shift in business models - agentic systems, new revenue streams and radically altered workforce needs - that boards and investors must treat as central to strategy and risk management.”

Leadership Lens: Capital re-allocation as a leadership capability

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:56:58 Z

Aiga Arste-Avotina - Baltics

Watchwords will be credibility, systems thinking, and talent at industry intersections.

Despite strong crosswinds, Energy and Infrastructure players are pursuing their quest for clean energy. Certainly, fossil fuels still dominate – for now. But the resources that will shape the future are steadily being diverted. As of early 2026, for every $1 invested in fossil fuels, close to $2 is being funneled into clean power, grids, and storage.

The transition is unfolding under heightened concerns about geopolitical volatility, energy security and affordability. Even if capital is dynamic, its deployment is hampered by grid bottlenecks, permit delays, skilled labor shortages and supply-chain constraints. And investors are more interested in delivery discipline than ambition alone.

Elevating the Finance Function: The New CFO Brief

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:10:48 Z

“I spent the past year focused on one thing more than any other: recruiting CFOs - largely for companies in the consumer and retail sectors,” says Anna Bonde, Partner at Amrop Sweden and a member of Amrop’s Global Consumer & Retail Practice. “Together with the team, we worked on 15+ CFO searches last year, and I personally led 11 of those assignments, half of them in the Consumer and Retail space. That intensity reflects both cyclicality in leadership roles and a clear structural shift in what companies now expect from their finance leaders.”

Innovation Under Pressure: The Life Sciences Landscape in Denmark

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:20:07 Z

In 2026, the Danish Life Sciences ecosystem stands at a critical juncture. Denmark is widely recognized as a European leader in life sciences, with a strong cluster spanning pharmaceuticals, biotech, MedTech, and health technology. At the same time, the market is shifting as rapid innovation collides with heightened regulatory complexity, manufacturing scale-up and supply-capacity constraints, and geopolitical uncertainty. Digitalization is accelerating across the value chain - while expectations around data, sustainability, and compliance increasingly sit at board level, not just within specialist functions.

In Denmark, growth is supported by a strong public–private ecosystem and continued national ambitions to expand life science exports and strengthen talent and infrastructure. For leadership teams, this translates into a sharper focus on scale-up discipline, regulatory confidence, and cross-functional execution, where advantage increasingly comes from converting innovation into predictable delivery.

With Kristine Cholewa, Amrop Denmark.

Leadership Lens: Why Culture Matters in Professional Services

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:16:41 Z

Adam Pekarsky - Calgary, Canada

As a professional services firm, are you clear on your culture?

Candidate choices are shifting. Upfront transparency is vital.

In theory, there’s a camaraderie in professional services. We’re unified and galvanized to do great work for clients. We have a baked-in bonding agent. A cultural foundation. And culture has never been more critical in attracting and retaining high performers.

Some firms foster culture intentionally and brilliantly. Others, not so much. And the more a partnership grows, the more complex culture becomes.

The End of Connectivity as a Product: What Telecom Leaders Must Do Next

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:33:36 Z

Bo Ekelund, Partner in Amrop’s Global Digital and Telecom practices, works with industrial, technology, and telecom leaders navigating growth, transformation, and board- and C-suite succession. Together with Amrop’s Telecom team, he will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, March 2–5. If you’re attending and thinking about leadership, talent, and human-capital strategy for the programmable-networks era, we look forward to meeting.

Below, we share our perspective on how telecom leaders are moving beyond connectivity as a product toward platform-first, API-enabled, AI-governed models - and how they are reshaping capital allocation, talent, and culture to capture the next wave of value.

Cybersecurity and Board Advisory: A Strategic Imperative

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:34:34 Z

As the landscape of digital threats continues to evolve, the role of Boards in navigating cybersecurity has never been more critical. Recent regulations underscore the necessity for robust training and education in cybersecurity strategies, not only for listed companies but for all organizations aiming to enhance their resilience against potential breaches.

With Amrop Italy's Paolo Clemente - Global Digital Practice and Cinzia Donalisio - Global Board Services Practice.

The CEO Struggle: View From the Top

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:31:14 Z

“In 2007, while running The Huffington Post, I collapsed from stress, burnout, and lack of sleep, breaking my cheekbone on my desk as I fell.”¹

Arianna Huffington has since become a vocal advocate for sleep, wellness, and mental health in leadership. But urging exhausted CEOs to get more sleep, exercise or therapy only puts more pressure on their shoulders. It's time to diagnose the problem, look at how CEOs are hired, and the infrastructure that surrounds them.

In this series, senior Amrop Partners draw on their deep conversations with boards, nominating committees and the lonely leaders atop the corporate mountain. As CEO malaise surges, read on for an insider’s view of the weather systems at the summit, and strategies to stay resilient and healthy. In Part 1, we examine the CEO's operating environment.

Shifting Gears: German Automotive Companies Pivot Towards Defense

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:05:23 Z

Germany’s automotive industry is entering a pivotal moment. As geopolitical and economic pressures reshape priorities across Europe, leading automotive players are increasingly turning toward the defense sector. This is not a short-term response, but a strategic pivot that builds on long-standing strengths in vehicle electronics, systems integration, and advanced manufacturing. Ulrich Beckendorff, Managing Partner of Amrop Düsseldorf and member of our Global Defense Practice, explores why this shift is gaining momentum.

As the automotive and defense industries converge, what should Tier 1 and Tier 2/3 suppliers be considering to navigate this complex leadership environment and position themselves for sustainable growth?

The Seven Questions to Ask the CIO You Want to Hire

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:06:30 Z

Paulo Aziz Nader is a Partner at Amrop Brazil, an angel investor, a board member at several scale-up companies in Brazil and a member of Amrop’s Global Digital Practice. Over the course of his career he’s recruited a large number of CIOs and developed a keen understanding of the qualities and skills that define the role.

Paulo shares his insights and seven critical questions that can help uncover the strengths and perspectives of a CIO candidate, ensuring that they align with your organization's goals and culture.

Europe’s Defense Sector: Rethinking Cooperation Between State and Industry

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:42:54 Z

Across Europe, defense institutions are entering a period of rapid transition, and the landscape is being reshaped at unprecedented speed. After years in which military budgets were gradually reduced, governments now face the consequences of sustained underinvestment: outdated equipment, insufficient production capacity, and industrial ecosystems that struggle to respond to fastchanging security threats.

As geopolitical tensions rise and long-standing underinvestment becomes impossible to ignore, governments are no longer debating whether to strengthen their armed forces, but how to do so without sacrificing sovereignty, security, or strategic autonomy. This moment of renewal forces a fundamental rethink of how states and industry collaborate - balancing rapidly expanding budgets, accelerating technological change, and the growing influence of private actors in mission-critical capabilities.

With Benoit Lison, Leader of Amrop’s Global Defense Practice.

Amrop Welcomes New Partners in EMEA, Latam and APAC

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:26:24 Z

Amrop welcomes its newest Partners & Executive Search Consultants in EMEA, Latam and APAC, further reinforcing our global presence in executive recruitment and leadership services.

These strategic appointments strengthen our capacity to align outstanding leaders with organizations in search of transformative talent across today’s evolving global marketplace.

As Amrop continues to expand, our new Partners contribute extensive expertise in leadership assessment and advisory, board consulting, and senior executive search - further advancing our dedication to enabling long-term success for clients worldwide.

Rethinking Compensation & Benefits in a Global Talent Landscape

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:20:55 Z

Organizations operating across borders face a rewards landscape that is more complex - and more strategic - than ever before. As Benoit Lison, Managing Partner at Amrop Belgium, observes, "Global employers are expected to maintain coherent global principles while adjusting to local realities, appeal to an internationally mobile talent pool, uphold fairness between countries, and keep costs under control. This all takes place against a backdrop of growing regulatory expectations, evolving tax rules and increasing scrutiny on reporting standards.”

In this context, compensation and benefits can no longer be treated as a purely transactional HR matter. Today, they are a powerful strategic lever - one that shapes organizational culture, drives purpose, and reinforces long-term organizational priorities.

Amrop Expands Executive Search and Leadership Advisory Presence in the Baltics with New Office in Lithuania

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:17:28 Z

January 19, 2026

Amrop, the global leadership advisory and executive search partnership, today announced a new operational set-up and management structure in Lithuania, strengthening its presence and service capabilities across the Baltic region, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The expanded set-up provides full Baltic regional coverage, supported by on-the-ground, in-country executive search and leadership advisory teams in all three markets. This structure ensures clients benefit from deep local market expertise, cultural understanding, and direct access to Amrop’s global leadership advisory network.

Commenting on the expansion, Annika Farin, Global Chair of Amrop, said: ““The Baltic states represent an increasingly important region for international business, innovation, and leadership development. This is a trusted team of professionals, experienced in conducting complex regional-scale assignments across multiple markets, with more than 40% of Latvian, Estonian, and Ukrainian assignments delivered through this coordinated regional team.”

Amrop’s Baltics business will be managed by Viesturs Liegis and Aiga Ārste-Avotiņa as Managing Partners. Together with their team, they bring more than 30 years of combined executive search, leadership advisory, and board services experience across the region. At the same time, Amrop is strengthening its team in Lithuania, with an expanded local advisory team expected to be announced in Q2 2026. The Baltics team supports organizations ranging from local enterprises to multinationals, delivering executive search, leadership advisory, and board services across the Consumer & Retail, Industrial, Technology, and Defense sectors.

The new management team commented: “Our new pan-Baltic set-up brings together our experienced local teams, sector knowledge, and seamless access to Amrop’s global resources. This allows us to support organizations in making leadership and governance decisions that drive sustainable growth and transformation, wherever they operate.”

The inclusion of Lithuania completes Amrop’s Baltic footprint, enabling consistent regional delivery in line with Amrop’s global leadership and advisory standards. This development underscores Amrop’s long-term commitment to the Baltics and the broader CEE region, and its mission to help organizations build leadership capability in an increasingly complex global business environment.

About Amrop

Amrop is a global leadership consulting firm, offering retained Executive Search, Board and Leadership Advisory services. We advise the world's most dynamic organizations on identifying and positioning Leaders For What's Next - adept at working across borders, in markets around the world. Established in 1977, Amrop operates across more than 60 offices in APAC, EMEA and the Americas.

Amrop Expands Asia Pacific Presence with New Offices in Singapore and Malaysia

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:48:00 Z

January 6, 2026

Amrop, a global executive search and leadership advisory firm, is pleased to announce the opening of its new offices in Singapore and Malaysia, strengthening the firm’s footprint in the Asia Pacific region and reinforcing its commitment to serving clients in two of the region’s most dynamic markets.

The move reflects Amrop’s strategic focus on supporting organizations navigating rapid growth, digital transformation, and evolving leadership challenges across Southeast Asia. The new offices will deliver Amrop’s full suite of executive search, board advisory, and leadership assessment services to both regional and multinational clients.

Jimmy Chen, Managing Partner for Singapore & Malaysia, said, “We are building a client-success driven leadership advisory in Singapore and Malaysia, combining Amrop's global reach with local insight, and with a unique belief of putting our clients' & executives' best interests first and foremost as our primary objective. We provide customized solutions to help purpose-driven global & regional companies & leaders govern, grow, lead, transform, and outlast their peers. Serving with brain and heart, we are here to co-create sustainable success and happiness with MNCs & Family Businesses seeking leaders who can navigate both global complexity & local nuances.”

Annika Farin, Amrop’s Global Chair, added, “Our presence in Singapore and Malaysia marks a significant milestone in Amrop’s global growth journey. These markets are hubs of innovation and talent, and we are excited to partner with clients here as they build leadership teams equipped for the future.”

The firm’s teams in Singapore and Malaysia bring extensive sector expertise and deep understanding of local business landscapes. The expanded APAC platform strengthens the firm’s ability to deliver high-impact advisory services in key industries, including Technology, Financial Services, Consumer, Industrial, and Life Sciences.

With these additions, Amrop’s APAC presence grows to 10 offices across Australia, China, Japan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea.

About Amrop

Amrop Azerbaijan Appoints New Principal focusing on Board Services and Executive Search

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:35:00 Z

Amrop Azerbaijan welcomes new Principal

AI and Executive Recruitment: Not the full answer. Yet.

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:55:39 Z

Artificial intelligence in leadership recruitment remains in its infancy, according to Amrop hiring specialists. It shows great promise – but still has much to learn.

What is the current status of AI in talent acquisition strategy?

Download Part I of our new report.

I Am Not a Robot: AI and Leadership Hiring - Part I

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:00:00 Z

Part 1 | Mapping a Shifting Landscape

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping leadership hiring - accelerating processes, enriching relationships, and opening new possibilities for executive search. Yet, it remains a tool that demands judgment and restraint.

In this three-part series, Amrop explores how AI is transforming executive and board-level recruitment - its opportunities, risks, and what the future may hold. Could AI ever replace the headhunter?

Drawing on insights from senior Amrop partners and board members, early adopters and active contributors to the firm’s global AI governance, this first article examines how the technology is taking shape inside the executive search ecosystem.

Planning for Leadership Succession – How to Get It Right

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:00:00 Z

After the first fragile years of building and stabilising a company, every organisation eventually reaches another defining moment: a leadership transition.

In today’s world, where the pace of change is only accelerating and expectations of leaders grow ever higher, even the most outstanding talent cannot stay in the same role forever. Leadership change is not a question of if - it’s a question of when, and how well the organisation is prepared to navigate it.

Partner Perspectives, with Natalja Gudakovska, Amrop Latvia