London
June 1, 2010
Dear Frank,
It was great to meet for dinner yesterday. Once again, congratulations on your appointment as CEO. It’s a big honour, and an opportunity that I am sure you will relish.
I am glad that you found our discussion on CEO transitions useful. You mentioned that it would be helpful to you if I jotted down the key points we discussed, so I am putting pen to paper. My suggestions are focused on making a successful leadership transition—not on the role and attributes of a successful CEO, about which so much has already been written. They are based primarily on personal observation of many CEO transitions, as well as on interviews with a number of leading CEOs and chairmen from around the world.
Letter to a newly appointed CEO