The Board’s Holiday Wish List: What Directors Really Want from Their CEO in 2025 

Talk of “disruption” often makes seasoned directors roll their eyes. 

But something real is shifting in boardrooms—directors are rethinking what it means to lead a company in the years ahead.  

As board evaluations grow more demanding, one question remains: what do directors actually want from their next CEO? 

The Geopolitical Strategist

With the global order fragmenting into distinct power blocks, boards are looking for CEOs who can bridge widening geopolitical divides. The challenge intensifies each quarter: IMF analysis shows not just a tripling of new trade barriers since 2019, but a change in how they’re deployed—from simple tariffs to nuanced regulatory frameworks. 

“The global trade landscape appears to be moving towards protectionism, with the US, China, and Europe building trade barriers,” said Johanna Lamminen, Board Member of Mandatum and Cargotec. “These blocks compete for raw materials, such as minerals, where China has shown strategic positioning. The CEO faces complex decisions on relevant regions and markets, sales models, production locations, and supply chain security.” 

The Digital Orchestrator

The imperative for digital transformation in business is clear but success remains elusive. While many, if not most, companies have started attempting to digitally transform themselves, their offerings, and their operations, 84% of digital transformations fail.  

Despite this high rate of failure, in the next three years 70% of CEOs believe GenAI will reshape how their company creates value. This gap between ambition and results explains why boards increasingly scrutinize digital leadership capabilities. 

“The CEO needs to understand the value digitalization brings to the business, covering both current operations and new opportunities,” said Jukka Ruuska, Board Member of Mandatum and Eficode. “Digitalization is now a mainstream and strategic element, necessitating that the CEO does not rely excessively on the CIO.” 

The Agile Decision-Maker

Market conditions now shift at lightning speed—yet corporate decision-making often crawls. Less than half of corporate leaders think their organizations move fast enough, and only 37% say their companies make decisions that are both quick and smart. By 2025, that gap between market speed and corporate reaction time won’t just hurt—it’ll kill.  

“The increasing pace of business growth makes identifying growth drivers more challenging,” said Lamminen. “A CEO should possess a broad perspective and a sensitive approach when evaluating options. This must be combined with swift execution in assessed and preferred new business areas.” 

This sentiment is echoed by Samantha Martin-Williams FAICD, FGIA, a Chair and Non-Executive Director across multiple companies, who spoke about the important nature of adaptability: “Strategic agility and risk resilience—the ability to make fast, informed decisions and adapt quickly to market shifts will be vital.” 

The Emotionally Intelligent Leader

Amid mounting technical demands, something unexpected tops board wish lists: emotional intelligence. CEOs, on average, have the lowest EQ scores in the workplace—below even frontline workers, according to World Economic Forum research. But the most successful chiefs break this pattern entirely. In today’s endless crises (McKinsey’s “perma-crisis”), this emotional gap between corner office and shop floor hits harder than ever. 

“Empathy and emotional intelligence will be key for fostering a positive, inclusive culture, especially as hybrid work models persist and talent retention becomes more competitive,” Martin-Williams said. 

The Partnership Builder

The dynamics between CEOs and boards are changing, too. While 62% of CEOs want at least one director replaced, board members rarely join to be adversaries—they join to mentor, guide, and help shape company success. In 2025, boards want CEOs who see them as partners, not obstacles.  

“CEOs and Board Chairs who adopt a contemporary ‘Governing Team’ approach are best positioned to navigate complexities,” Martin-Williams explains. “[A] collaborative approach ensures clarity around roles and responsibilities, aligned agendas, and the ability to share valuable, performance-driving information.” 

This view is supported by Ruuska, who advocates for CEOs to “use all resources available for business development, including the Board and the Chair, fostering a mentorship relationship. A competent CEO recognizes their limitations and seeks continuous self-improvement.” 

The Responsibility Champion

Despite calls of “ESG is dead,” global regulations around environmental and social governance keep tightening. Corporate leaders see the writing on the wall—86% say ESG builds stakeholder trust. As regulations set an ever-higher bar, boards want CEOs who take ESG beyond compliance into strategy. In 2025, they’re looking for chief executives who can handle both profitability and sustainable business—a balance many directors admit is the toughest ESG challenge. 

The Economic Navigator

CEO optimism about the global economy has dropped from 93% in 2015 to 72% today. For boards choosing their next CEO, these numbers signal an important transition—economic leadership has become as important to company survival as market strategy.  

“Organizations face significant challenges from ongoing economic uncertainty, including inflation, market volatility, and supply chain disruptions. To navigate this, businesses will need to build financial resilience through scenario planning, operational agility, and cost optimization,” Martin-Williams said. 

Looking ahead to 2025, boards have watched too many strong companies fall to economic blind spots. They won’t make the same mistake twice. 

Looking Ahead

The convergence of these expectations creates a demanding profile for CEOs in 2025—the “ideal” CEO must master all these qualities, not just excel at one or two. 

People often talk about timeless leadership—pointing to historic figures like Alexander the Great, whose bold speeches and decisive command inspired armies thousands of years ago. But today’s boards want something different. The ideal 2025 CEO looks nothing like that commanding general. Boards want someone more measured: responsible, connected, and aware of the bigger picture. 

“Current times require a balance of engagement and strong management, and the CEO must execute both simultaneously,” said Ruuska. “This dual capability—to be both strategist and executor, visionary and pragmatist—will likely define successful CEO tenure in 2025 and beyond.” 

As boards finalize their “wish lists” for 2025, they’re looking for leaders who can handle uncertainty while keeping their organizations on track. The successful CEO of 2025 will need to be part diplomat, part technologist, part humanitarian, and wholly strategic—a tall order, but one that matches today’s demands. 

About the Authors

Fiona Lavan is a Member of Stanton Chase’s Governance Committee, Global Subsector Leader for Agribusiness, and Managing Partner at Stanton Chase Australia. With over three decades in executive search, she brings extensive experience in board appointments and C-suite recruitment across agribusiness, financial services, and industrial sectors. She has developed particular expertise in appointing boards to state-owned enterprises and advising on corporate governance. Her experience uniquely positions her to understand the evolving demands on modern CEOs. 

Arto Sormunen is a Partner at Stanton Chase Helsinki. His career spans over 30 years in human resources, management consulting, and corporate governance, giving him deep insight into the changing landscape of executive leadership. With significant experience in technological transformation and a strong track record in building successful management teams, he brings valuable perspective on the evolving requirements for executive leadership. His analytical approach combined with deep understanding of motivation in career building has proven essential in creating high-performing management teams for clients across industrial and financial services sectors.