As we move further into 2026, take a few minutes to explore RHR insights designed to help leaders navigate complexity, manage critical transitions, and prepare for what’s next. In this issue:
Brilliance recognized – RHR is named HR Consultancy of the Year -- We’re proud to announce that we are winners at the 2026 International Brilliance Awards
Leadership trends in 2026 and beyond – RHR explores the forces reshaping leadership expectations and the capabilities senior leaders will need to succeed in an increasingly uncertain environment.
CEO succession as a path to continued growth – See how a global specialty apparel company used a planful, multiyear succession strategy to execute a seamless CEO transition and position the organization for its next phase of growth.
The CHRO’s expanding role in CEO succession – Learn how today’s CHROs are emerging as strategic partners to boards and CEOs in navigating one of the most consequential leadership decisions.
RHR wins a Brilliance Award!
We’re proud to be named HR Consultancy of the Year by the 2026 International Brilliance Awards, recognizing firms that deliver exceptional impact, innovation, and strategic value in human resources and leadership advisory. This award highlights RHR’s distinctive integration of behavioral science, business acumen, and real-world leadership experience. For our clients, this recognition affirms what matters most: trusted, objective advice that strengthens leadership and drives lasting business performance.
As leaders look beyond today’s challenges toward what’s next, the demands of leadership are evolving faster than ever. In A View to the Future: Leadership Trends in 2026 and Beyond, RHR explores the forces reshaping what effective leadership will require in the years ahead, from navigating accelerating complexity and disruption to redefining trust, influence, and decision-making at the top. Grounded in RHR’s deep experience advising senior leaders and boards, this article highlights the capabilities that will matter most for sustaining performance and resilience in an uncertain future and what leaders can start doing now to prepare.
CEO succession can either stall momentum or become a powerful catalyst for growth. In CEO Succession as a Path to Continued Growth, RHR shares how a global specialty apparel company used a deliberate, multiyear succession strategy to transition from a successful turnaround to its next phase of digital- and retail-led growth. This case study highlights how early board alignment, a future-focused CEO profile, and a de-risked transition model, including a thoughtfully designed leadership overlap—enabled a seamless handoff, preserved culture, and positioned the organization for sustained performance and confidence at the top.
CEO succession is one of the most consequential moments an organization will face. Today, the CHRO plays a far more central role than ever before. In The CHRO’s Expanding Role in CEO Succession, RHR examines how the CHRO has evolved from a supporting player to a strategic architect of leadership transitions, partnering closely with boards and CEOs to ensure continuity, credibility, and future readiness. Drawing on real-world experience and insights from senior executives, the article explores how CHROs can bring objectivity, discipline, and trust to a high-stakes, deeply human process and why succession is no longer an event, but an ongoing leadership imperative.
RHR is proud to be a silver partner for the 2026 Society of Consulting Psychology (SCP) Annual Conference to be held February 6 and 7 in Las Vegas. SCP (Division 13 of the American Psychological Association) is specifically focused on how consulting psychology can support catalysts for change in organizations. We invite you to visit the RHR booth and attend an RHR-sponsored speaking session:
Title:What Consulting Psychologists Can Learn from Professional Gamblers
Synopsis: Leveraging the unique setting of Caesars Palace, Jay will explore insights gained from the “social-psych labs” of casinos. He will discuss decision-making, nonverbal communication, and the application of personal values in a high-stakes environment.
During the conference, RHR also will present the prestigious RHR Award for Excellence in Consultation, which is granted to individuals who epitomize the standards of excellence that RHR and SCP seek to perpetuate.
We were a sponsor of the Corporate Research Forum Future-Ready Talent Management Report. RHR Senior Partner and Head of International, Region Lead—Europe Orla Leonard and RHR Head of Coaching and Development Nicole Forward contributed to the report.
Senior Partner Deb Rubin, spoke with the Financial Times about CEO exits and succession strategies.
Dan Russell's promotion to RHR senior partner was noted in SIOP's IOtas newsletter.
