Recognized Succession Planning Leaders 2025

I’m a FINMA-licensed financial advisor based in Switzerland, specializing in retirement and pension planning for individuals and companies. Through Invexa, I help clients build clear, sustainable long-term financial strategies that integrate both investment and insurance components. My approach combines personalized wealth planning with regulated insurance brokerage services to deliver practical, compliant, and goal-oriented solutions for every stage of life.

How can organizations adapt to create new growth paths and manage risk in rapidly changing markets? This is the focus of my strategy and risk advisory work. I leverage my extensive track record in high-performance team building and operations leadership to help clients solve challenging problems at the nexus of risk, strategy, and innovation. I have over a decade of strategy consulting and executive leadership experience across multiple industries. I was the Director of Strategy for a Top 50 Foodservice Distributor, helping lead the company through its acquisition by a Top 5 Distributor. After that, I became CEO and led the turnaround of a produce merchandising and distribution company. My educational background includes a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary, an MBA from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in religion from the University of Birmingham (UK).

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With 35+years of hands on experience and R12Million in invesment into research and expertise, Tony is an expert in optimising People, Teams, Leadership and Culture to thrive in tough Times. Developer of the REVOLUTIONARY WORKPLACE High Performance Teams system, The Success Ensurance Self Mastery System, and author of SWIFT SUCCESS Mindset, AdaptAgility and REVOLUTIONARY WORKPLACE CLEARx framework. Tony guides people and teams to unleash more of thier amazing potential.

As EVP of M&A, Joe leads PRITCHETT's M&A integration practice which has consulted on acquisitions valued in total over $350 billion. He is the architect of PRITCHETT’s M&A integration methodology, an approach that has been used successfully by thousands of acquirers. Joe also conceived of and brought to market the Merger Integration Certification Workshop, the most successful M&A integration training program in the world. Plus, he created MergerIntegration.com which is now the most visited web site on M&A integration. MergerIntegration.com provides step-by step instruction on how to run integration projects and is populated with over 500 deliverables from PRITCHETT consulting engagements. Joe is the author of the books, Street Smart Moves for Selling your Business and What’s Next? He is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

ABOUT SARA: Sara Gallagher is President of The Persimmon Group and a recognized expert in PMO leadership, project portfolio management, and strategy execution. Sara helps organizations transform their Project Management Offices into high-impact engines for business value, drawing on more than 15 years of experience advising executives and leading enterprise projects. A frequent speaker, author, and instructor, Sara has contributed to PMI’s global standards, taught thousands of professionals through her Udemy courses, and delivered keynotes on PMO transformation and the future of project leadership. She is known for making complex project management concepts clear, actionable, and engaging. Based in Tulsa and a graduate of Emory University, Sara is also the creator of the “Big Dumb Questions” newsletter on LinkedIn. THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE Sara’s work blends the disciplines of project management and organizational effectiveness, with a focus on: - Strategy Execution - PMO Design and Evolution - Leading Organizational Change - Executive Coaching - Building Cultures of Accountability and Trust Sara’s consulting portfolio spans a wide range of industries—including energy, finance, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and technology—where she partners with both Fortune 500 powerhouses and fast-moving startups. Her experience cuts across project types, from industrial mega-projects and enterprise software rollouts to HR and people transformation initiatives. Whether the challenge is scale, speed, or stakeholder complexity, Sara brings a strategic, systems-minded approach that helps organizations turn complexity into clarity—and ambitious ideas into measurable progress.

I'm an innovative, curious, and passionate People Ops leader trying to connect employers and their people. Super powers include focused, engaging and effective communications, grace under pressure, and maintaining attention to detail while scoping big picture results. I focus on clarity, inclusion, accountability, respect, and trust - which means I operate with those values at the core of what I do and how I treat others. I lean into tough conversations with leaders at all levels, and help advocate for employees while prioritizing the interests of the organization.

We train & consult on Strategy, Finance, Succession & Leadership. A successful consulting engagement for us is where the client’s measurable improvement is a multiple of our fee so that we become an investment in their future rather than a cost of doing business. * Assisted major service provider in identifying operational problems while devising strategies & tactics to improve profits through quality & performance which were achieved within 6 months * Assisted 80+ year old garment company with corporate restructure which regained profitability within 120 days * Developed a strategic business plan for a start-up consumer products firm that facilitated their securing equity financing and then profitability within first year.

Jim Rembach is the President of Call Center Coach and the founder of the Leadership Execution Institute. As an AI systems architect and leadership execution strategist, he redefined leadership in the age of AI at work by creating the Leadership Execution System (LES). This system replaces traditional leadership training with Culture-Calibrated, AI-powered execution systems that embed organizational standards into daily behavior. His work centers on developing Decision Agility, a measurable capability for high-speed, high-confidence decision-making, and systematically neutralizing execution drift using the FONE framework (Fear, Overconfidence, Negative Impressions, Execution Blindness). A 25-year contact center veteran and behavioral science expert, Rembach grounds his approach in applied research proving that supervisor inconsistency is a system problem driven by fundamental human programming like cognitive miserliness (shortcut hunt), not a mere knowledge deficit. This finding is critical because traditional training programs demonstrate limited effectiveness, with only 12% of participants consistently applying learned behaviors. To fix this systemic issue, he formalized his approach in 2024 with the introduction of Leadership Execution-as-a-Service (LEaaS), an AI-enabled model that embeds cultural standards and guardrails into supervisors’ daily decisions. His research, including papers published via Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17425566), is tied to his ORCID iD (0009-0004-6525-5634), reinforcing his domain authority in leadership execution literature. Rembach's research establishes the Decision Agility gap, the difference between technological capability and organizational decision velocity. To enable high-speed, high-confidence decision-making in VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environments, he provides the C.A.L.M.™ Model (Clarify, Assess, Limit the Noise, Move with Confidence). This framework serves as an operational protocol for converting decision delay into structured momentum. Implementation uses the 14-Dimension Culture-Calibrated AI Framework to ensure AI systems reinforce organizational standards rather than amplifying existing behavioral inconsistencies (execution drift). His thought leadership, including The FONE Report, documents that organizations with consistent, visible leadership report 23% higher profit, with some achieving a 3% reduction in overall costs simply by tightening execution and eliminating drift.

SEO and Web Design Specialist at KKT Management Enhance digital strategies and website functionalities. Improve search engine rankings and design user-centric interfaces. Conduct successful SEO campaigns, staying abreast of the latest trends and algorithms. Operations Manager at Anna Nasi Lemak Spicy Asia City Manage day-to-day operations and spearhead online presence. Oversee digital engagement and brand management. Integrate traditional marketing with digital solutions to boost brand visibility and customer interaction.

Mechanical engineer specializing in manufacturing and industrial engineering. Extensive experience in setting up start-ups, including management and project management. Extensive experience and strong networks in the field of Industry 4.0. Qualities: - Successful management of associations and start-ups, including strategic planning, business development, and operational implementation. - Project management and supervision of strategic Industry 4.0 projects with a focus on vertical and horizontal networking, platform economics, and disruptive business processes. - Strong expertise in the areas of corporate management, planning, communication, marketing, and sales to increase company growth and open up new markets. - Entrepreneurial thinking and action as well as a strong customer focus. - Experience in managing national and international sales activities in a medium-sized environment. - Expertise in conception, corporate planning, forecasting, analytics, and reporting. - Many years of experience in managing B2C e-commerce in the consumer electronics sector. - Well-versed in leadership, employee motivation, and human resources management. - High social competence and integrity, with excellent communication and negotiation skills at C-level and in dealing with various stakeholders.

Results-oriented technology leader with over 9 years of experience in Infrastructure Security, Automation, Generative AI, and Software-Defined Operations. Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing teams, streamline enterprise support, and execute strategic initiatives that enhance organizational resilience and operational efficiency. A seasoned cybersecurity professional, experienced in vulnerability and patch management at scale, with a strong track record of driving measurable, data-driven impact through intelligent automation. Skilled in designing and implementing secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure solutions that align with business and regulatory goals. Proven expertise in project and program management, particularly within Agile and Scrum frameworks, with a focus on cross-functional collaboration, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement. Recognized for combining technical depth with strategic vision to deliver transformative outcomes in complex enterprise environments.

Ganesh Ariyur is a global enterprise technology executive and a Top 100 Digital Adoption Leader for 2025. He is known for delivering more than $500M in measurable enterprise value through large-scale digital transformation, enterprise systems modernization, cloud strategy, artificial intelligence adoption, data governance, & enterprise architecture leadership. His work spans more than 90 countries across Fortune 500 organizations, private-equity owned companies, and highly regulated industries. Ganesh serves as the Global Head of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Transformation at Gainwell Technologies, a $3B healthcare technology organization. He directs modernization programs across SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud ERP, PeopleSoft, cloud platforms on AWS and Azure, enterprise applications, reporting and analytics, generative AI, intelligent automation, enterprise architecture, IT governance, and cybersecurity, aligned with operating models. His programs have delivered multi-million-dollar cost savings. He has directed enterprise portfolios valued at more than $1B. He has unified 450-plus legacy systems, led technology programs supporting more than $30B in M&A value, and guided organizations through complex TSA exits and carve-outs. Ganesh brings deep expertise in artificial intelligence-enabled operating models, multi-ERP modernization including SAP S/4 HANA, Oracle Cloud, & Workday, cloud strategy and FinOps, enterprise architecture, data, infrastructure, cybersecurity improvement, data quality & analytics modernization, robotic process automation & intelligent automation, shared services/global business services, organizational design, and long-term value creation. His people-process-technology approach led to his being named a Global Top 100 Digital Adoption Leader. He is a Certified AI Business Transformation Practitioner & a Certified Technology Innovation Practitioner. He is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council. He was publicly recognized for global transformation leadership when he was featured on billboards across Germany during a major enterprise program at Bayer. Ganesh is known for partnering with boards, CEOs, CFOs, & private equity operating teams. He aligns technology strategy with growth objectives, cost discipline, compliance needs, & long-term enterprise value. Based in Atlanta, he is regarded as a CIO leader who turns complexity into clarity and who consistently converts technology investment into measurable business outcomes.

I am an experienced wealth management and fintech marketing communications leader who has quantifiably shown how to drive greater demand. With over 15 years of experience delivering marketing strategies for fintechs and financial service firms, I have been sought out to create, from the ground up, the messaging and marketing programs that will quantifiably move the needle in driving brand awareness and revenue opportunities for an organization. After years of delivering marketing programs, I can anticipate challenges, get in front of them, and deliver on-time, on-budget solutions. Over the course of my career, I have had the good fortune to learn how to optimize marketing best practices and professional development. It gives me great pleasure when I am able to share what I have learned with my team and create an environment that allows for their professional growth and development.

I am Sri Chellappa, the CEO, President, and Co-Founder of Engagedly, an AI-enabled people strategy platform designed to revolutionize traditional performance appraisals. At Engagedly, I focus on simplifying performance reviews by integrating employee engagement and development, helping organizations build high-performing, people-centric cultures. With over 20 years of experience in software development, consulting, and organizational leadership, I have had the privilege of working with leading firms like EY and Capgemini. My career has taught me the immense value of investing in people—not just for their individual success but for the success of the organization as a whole. I am passionate about empowering employees to grow, stay engaged, and develop the skills they need to thrive and advance in their careers. My journey has been shaped by a diverse range of experiences that span technology, health IT, people management, and creative arts. As a filmmaker, I’ve written, directed, and produced six feature films that have been distributed globally on platforms like Netflix, NBCUniversal, Fox International, Showtime, and Amazon Prime. These experiences have fueled my ability to think strategically, lead creatively, and deliver impactful results. Career Highlights: Author: The Black Book of Agile Project Delivery with Distributed Teams, where I share my insights on managing distributed teams effectively. Film Industry Achievements: Writer, Director, and Producer of six feature films with international distribution across major platforms. I am passionate about creating engaged, agile organizations and leveraging my leadership skills to help employees and companies succeed together.

Natalie Michael is a trusted advisor to CEOs navigating what's next—whether preparing for their own transition, developing key talent, or designing a purposeful next chapter. As Managing Partner of CEO Next Chapter, she combines over 20 years of experience in executive development with a unique focus on succession strategy, peer learning & leadership reinvention. A Master Certified CEO Peer Group Leader with Mackay CEO Forums and Chair of Tiger 21 Vancouver 3, Natalie works closely with business leaders stewarding enterprises ranging from $10M to $6B. She holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, numerous coaching certifications, and has authored two books on CEO development. Natalie also serves on the boards of Foundations for Social Change and Wavefront Centre for Accessibility. Her favorite book is Dr Hawkins Map of Consciousness.

Juan Kingsbury, Founder and Talent Strategist of Career Blindspot, provides leaders with bold and clear insights on their ever-changing teams. Juan utilizes his expertise of high performers and research of people at work to free up leaders’ time so they can focus hiring and developing the right people. He is excited to connect with any leader who understands this: investing in your team's growth potential starts with investing in your own.