How to hire a CHRO: choose the next one around the work ahead.

Before choosing the next chief people officer, agree on what the business needs that person to do. A company expanding into new markets may need different experience from one integrating an acquisition or developing its next generation of leaders.

Start with those decisions. Then describe the responsibilities, relationships and resources the role will carry. That gives the board, the CEO and the search team a shared basis for assessing candidates.

Look at the work behind the title

There are several routes to a senior people role. A 2017 study by Russell Reynolds Associates examined Fortune 100 CHRO biographies and described experience in general management, finance and international leadership. That historical research offers examples of different career paths.

For a search today, ask what each candidate has actually owned. Which business decisions did they help shape? What was the size and complexity of the team? What changed during their tenure, and what evidence connects their work to the result?

Build a clear brief

Use the same questions to assess leaders inside and outside the organization:

• What needs to change? Name the two or three outcomes the people leader should help deliver, and the period over which progress will be assessed.
• What experience matters? Separate experience required on arrival from capabilities the person could develop with support.
• What will the role own? Clarify the reporting line, team, budget and decisions the leader can take.
• What does the evidence show? Compare examples from the candidate’s work with the requirements of this business. Record strengths and questions still to resolve.

Connect selection with succession

Review the internal team alongside the external market. An internal candidate may need a broader assignment, a stronger team or more time. An external candidate may bring relevant experience while needing support to understand the business and its relationships.

Be explicit about those differences. A familiar name, a strong reputation or a previous title is a starting point for a conversation. Assess readiness against the work the person would be expected to do.

Plan the start before the offer

Agree on the first priorities, the people the new leader needs to work with, and how the CEO will support them. Carry the questions raised during selection into the onboarding plan.

A useful search brief should help both sides decide: the company can explain what success requires, and the candidate can assess whether the role fits their experience and ambitions.

Editorial update, September 23, 2026: attributed the historical research to Russell Reynolds Associates and removed outdated turnover claims.