An Executive Chairman blends board leadership with a hands-on executive role — a powerful but delicate appointment. Hiring one well takes particular care. Here is how.
Define the scope precisely
An Executive Chairman blends leading the board with an active executive role, so the scope must be defined precisely — how involved they will be, in what, and where the line sits with the CEO. Ambiguity here is dangerous, because an actively-involved Chairman and a CEO with overlapping or unclear remits is a recipe for conflict. Getting absolute clarity on what the Executive Chairman owns and does, before hiring, is the essential foundation.
Get the CEO relationship right
Because an Executive Chairman is hands-on in the business, the relationship with the CEO is decisive — more so than for a non-executive Chair. The two must have distinct, complementary roles and a strong working relationship, with the CEO genuinely able to lead. An Executive Chairman who overshadows or conflicts with the CEO undermines both. Assessing the potential relationship, and the chemistry and role-clarity between them, is central to the hire.
Experience, standing, and temperament
An Executive Chairman needs the experience and standing to be actively involved at the top of the business credibly, and the temperament to combine board leadership with an executive role without overreaching. This is a role for a highly experienced leader — often a former CEO or a major figure — with the judgement to know how and when to engage. Assessing for this experience, standing, and temperament matters, as the role's power demands a leader who exercises it wisely.
Weigh the governance trade-off
Hiring an Executive Chairman concentrates power and reduces the independent oversight a separate non-executive Chair provides, so the decision to have the role at all should be deliberate, weighing engaged senior leadership against independence. Where it fits — often founder-led, closely-held, or transitional situations — a search can find a leader suited to its distinctive demands, with the role and CEO relationship clearly defined.
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Explore Board & Executive Search →Frequently asked questions
What should you look for when hiring an Executive Chairman?
A highly experienced leader with the standing to be actively involved at the top and the temperament to combine board leadership with an executive role without overreaching — plus absolute clarity on the role's scope and a strong, well-defined relationship with the CEO.
Why is hiring an Executive Chairman delicate?
Because the role concentrates power and works closely with the CEO — an actively-involved Chairman and a CEO with unclear or overlapping remits invites conflict, and the Chairman can overshadow the CEO. Clarity of scope and the CEO relationship are decisive.
Related: What Does an Executive Chairman Do? · How to Hire a Board Chair · Chairman vs CEO
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