Interim CEO appointments are on the rise. As boards contend with increasing leadership turnover, unexpected CEO departures, and growing pressure from stakeholders, many are turning to interim leaders to provide stability while they identify the right long-term successor.

But succeeding as an interim CEO is far from straightforward. Leaders are often expected to build trust quickly, make important decisions with limited information, and create momentum across the organization—all while operating under significant uncertainty about their own future.

So, how can interim CEOs succeed in the role? In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with Efe Ekhaese, Aimee Williamson, and Justus O'Brien—who share their perspectives on:

▪ Why boards are increasingly appointing interim CEOs

▪ The unique pressures and challenges that come with leading on an interim basis

▪ How leaders can build trust, clarity, and momentum during periods of transition

▪ What aspiring permanent CEOs should consider when navigating interim appointments

"The most fraught word in interim leadership is ambiguity. The first question that an interim CEO needs to ask is: Why am I here? What am I trying to accomplish?"

Justus O'Brien

Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Four things you'll learn from this episode

1. Interim CEOs don't have the luxury of a traditional onboarding period. With limited time and high expectations, they must absorb information quickly and make decisions before they have complete certainty.
2. There is no universal playbook for interim leadership. Some situations require leaders to preserve stability, while others demand rapid transformation—success depends on understanding which mandate the board has given you.
3. Trust is built faster when leaders look beyond the executive leadership team and listen to the layers below. Engaging stakeholders across multiple levels of the organization helps interim CEOs make better decisions and build credibility more quickly.
4. Ambiguity can undermine even the most capable leaders. The most effective interim CEOs reduce uncertainty by aligning early with the board on expectations, authority, tenure, and long-term succession plans.

In this 19-minute episode, we will cover:

(2:26) Why interim CEO appointments are increasing

(3:09) How CEO turnover, burnout, and succession planning challenges are shaping leadership transitions

(6:06) The unique pressures of serving as an interim CEO

(8:51) Why clarity on your mandate is essential for success

(9:56) Examples of interim CEOs who have led through crisis

(13:32) How to build trust quickly across the organization

(14:10) Managing competing ambitions within the executive team

(15:58) When and how to discuss becoming the permanent CEO

A closer look at the research from this episode:

Global CEO Turnover Index | Russell Reynolds Associates

The Three Areas Boards Spend Their Time But Aren’t Seeing Results | Russell Reynolds Associates

World Cup madness has taken over the world. And while you’re screaming “Allez les Bleus!”, “Vamos Vamos Argentina!”, “I Believe That We Will Win!”, “It’s coming home!”, “Vamos Nippon!”, “¡Cielito Lindo”, "Olé, Olé, Olé!" or any other team chant at the World Cup, there are thousands of people who have been planning and sweating the details so that you can watch the games and cheer your team to victory.

Today, we’ll speak with someone who is leading that team in Mexico, as Marla and Tomas sit down with the Commissioner and President of Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Mikel Arriola. Mikel shares how he regrouped after a setback running for political office to step into the top roles at FMF and Liga MX. He digs into how he aligned his team to execute an audacious World Cup strategy across three host cities in Mexico, guiding the organization through the complexity, politics, and stakeholder demands of both FMF and FIFA. And he discusses how technology and AI are redefining sports.

We’ll also hear from Navio Kwok, a leadership specialist at Russell Reynolds Associates, who will share his perspective on whether the lessons learned in professional sport can help explain why so many athletes go on to become successful leaders. 

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to align your leadership team and navigate complexity, politics, and stakeholder demands to execute an audacious strategy
2. How to regroup and move forward after a setback
3. How to manage competing priorities and conflicts to drive decisions
4. Ideas on building the culture and skills needed for technology and AI transformation

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes:

• The Business of Football with Los Angeles Rams COO Kevin Demoff
• Leadership Lounge: Why Decision-Making Is Becoming Harder for C-Suite Leaders—and How You Can Overcome It
• Exploring the Art of Possible with Google and Alphabet President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat
• Leadership Lounge: How GenAI Can Elevate—And Expose—Today’s Leaders
• In the Fast Lane: A Conversation with FIA CEO Natalie Robyn
• Leadership Lounge: Built to Last or Built to Learn: How Leaders Can Develop Resilience

A closer look at the research from this episode:

• Why Athletes Make Effective Leaders
• AI and Leadership

The ability to make sound decisions has always been a defining leadership capability. But for today’s C-suite leaders, the challenge is greater than ever. Rapid change, increasing uncertainty, and a constant flow of information mean leaders are often required to make high-stakes decisions without having all the answers.

In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with leadership advisors Ilana Abramowicz and Henryk Krajewski to explore why decision-making is becoming more challenging in the C-suite—and the practices leaders can adopt to make better decisions and sustain performance.

They discuss:

• The forces making decision-making harder at the top of organizations
• How leaders can navigate decisions when every option involves difficult trade-offs
• The practical tools leaders can use to make better decisions under pressure

“Go fast where learning is cheap. Be careful where being wrong is expensive.”

Henryk Krajewski

Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates

Four things you'll learn from this episode:

1. Great decision-making starts with creating space to think. C-suite leaders who are “always on" risk burnout and decision fatigue, making it harder to exercise sound judgment when it matters most.
2. Values provide critical decision-making guardrails. When facts are incomplete and every option carries consequences, clarity about what leaders stand for helps them make difficult decisions with confidence and integrity.
3. Strong leaders know the difference between conviction and ego. The best decision-makers remain open to new evidence and avoid becoming overly attached to their original ideas.
4. High-performing executive teams bring discipline to decision-making. Clear accountability, constructive challenge, and knowing when to move quickly—or slow down—help top teams make better decisions and execute them more effectively.

In this episode, we will cover:

(02:33) Why leaders often fall into analysis paralysis

(04:12) The impact of being "always on" and how it can affect a leader’s judgment

(05:54) How personal values help leaders navigate difficult trade-offs

(10:40) How executive teams can improve decision-making through clearer decision rights

(12:53) How to avoid groupthink and create productive dissent

(14:03) The role of pre-mortems to stress-test major decisions

(15:27) The one-way-door versus two-way-door-framework for more effective decision-making

A closer look at the research from this episode:

Global Leadership Monitor | Russell Reynolds Associates

The New Leadership Portrait: Understanding & Unlocking Senior Executive Potential | Russell Reynolds Associates

Overcome Decision Paralysis: Finding Order in Chaos | Russell Reynolds Associates