Those participants were sworn by dividing the job: “The demands of the modern CEO are about to not sustain” “

Alixpartners David Garfield and Rob Hornbi had It was promoted The leadership of the Global Consulting Company of 2,500 people in February, but it previously worked for 14 years, which says both was vital. “The presence of experience in the previous work together makes a big difference,” said David Garfield, who is participating in Alixpartners. luck About sharing the upper function with Rob Hornbi. “I really think our decisions are better as a result of cooperating on it more than if we were making it independently.”

Garfield is located in New York and has contracts for experience in corporate strategy, creating shareholders, and the commercial aspect of the Global Consulting Company. Hornby is located in the UK and spends 30 % of its time in New York. It has a background of soup in artificial intelligence, digital innovation, global operating environments and global operating environments and previously led the region of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. At the same time, both understand the technical and commercial aspects and have a strong and a half decade of working together under their belts.

The geographical chapter is Strategic feature For the participants. Between them, they keep leadership coverage for 20 hours across the time areas-a long-term achievement for one executive director.

“We are responsible for everything,” Horneby said. “So we share responsibility for all the results of everything. But this does not mean that we participate in the same extent in everything – because we have different experience.”

They work under one umbrella of “pre -planned forgiveness”, so if Hornbi makes a decision that Garfield had not taken it during the time when he did not interfere, there is no harm. The same applies to Hornbi.

“Then there are some things that we just have to say,” Horneby said. “This is very big. This is something we need to talk about.

Garfield said this conversation always includes active listening. At this stage, they trust each other enough to not pressure prior concepts, but instead they get each other’s views on the table.

Garfield said: “Ironically, I think it makes us to answer faster because we do not have to spend time building an issue,” Garfield said. “The presence of common values ​​makes a big difference, and a foundation of confidence occurs a big difference.”

Although it will plan for Garfield and Hornby, other driving experts are more cautious about dividing the upper function. However, with the growth of the world more complicated and the increasingly complex role of the CEO becomes two, two, may Experts said if they are better than one – but only if the mixture is not flawed and not tainted with a person who does not hinder the relationship. In the past three weeks, Pomand OracleAnd now Spotify All CEO announced Transformations Including CO-CEO Leadership structure with various CEO control over blackboard.

“Sandwlwand, the managing director of Pearl Mayer Which leads the advisory practice of leadership. “It is likely that you make sense to have a subscriber if the company actually needs it, but I don’t say it should be the rule. I think it is an exception and you have to have a good work condition for that.”

Data provider Esgauge It reveals that there is only Co-CEOS currently working in Russell 3000 between 245 of the CEO of the Executive Director so far in 2025. During the past decade, the largest number of work participants was simultaneously among companies in the 17th index in 2023.

Sandlund pointed out that part of the reason that it was historically in -law was that “a lot could make a mistake.”

When things become embarrassing with CO-CEOS

A more clear trap can the duo fall? He said the struggles of power, with one executive official who wants to be the lead, said, Sean ColeHead of the research form Queen Partners. In meetings with clients, investors, or board of directors, one may talk about the other, making things painfully embarrassing. The factions can be formed. Unlocked correspondence can confuse the leadership team; Resolution can slow down. Cole, who was summoned to sort situations after he went with the intention of joint leadership, said that there is always a risk of confusion about power. When it fails, Cole raises personal issues and visualized about broken promises, especially if one of the participants is under the impression, he was temporary or they will eventually get the role of the CEO themselves.

“It is very similar to marriage,” Cole said. “It takes a lot of communication to make it work.” And like marriage, sometimes external offers are very attractive.

He said: “They will always be attracted to the chair of the other only CEO,” and this is another reason that common ships often continue, from his point of view. It is skeptical of the last dates, noting that some resemble short -term solutions to the problems that have appeared in tension plans. He said that the councils sometimes have difficulty making a decision, or the executives may be seduced elsewhere. “These solutions do not look long,” said Cole.

Egon ZehnderChuck Gray, who advises the councils to succeed the CEO, noted that the way different people interact with the authority “is always predictable.” Sometimes it is for good, but not in every case.

“I have seen people, when they became the CEO, they changed,” said Gray, Chairman of Egeon Zinir in North America and the exercise of the CEO. “When you have two people who share energy, you don’t always know how their reaction to this type of structure will be.”

Gray note that determining “equal” in the CO-CEO relationship is almost impossible. “Is it an equal number of direct reports? Is it equal size P & LS? Is it the same desk?” He said. “One line of business is larger than the other, and the other has a responsibility for all P & LS and all companies’ functions – will you feel equal?”

Gray noticed a member of the Board of Directors once to stop her immediately if the council ever looked at the Corruption Teaching Temple again.

Executive chiefs say they are alone

However, the role of the CEO himself may pay a renewed interest in energy participation, and Gray said that his company plans to discuss dividing the roles of the CEO in a greater depth. He recently told customers that “we have come to a point now where the job of the CEO is almost an impossible task for a person.” In the search operations for the Board of Directors, executive managers ask the independent companies managers to be senior executives who have dealt with the continuous turmoil since the fall of 2019.

“I am talking to many CEOs, you can see stress and pressure,” said Gray. In theory, if you can share some burden with someone, the job may be more sustainable. In addition, many CEOs say – Gray indicated that these clichies – but the CEOs say they are alone. He said that the presence of another person can reduce pregnancy.

Experts agreed to the key is clearly different roles, complementary skills, common values, clear decision -making rights, and real confidence. More importantly, both people must already want to share the role, a feature that is not always in line with the characters drawn up to being the CEO.

“It takes a very mature person,” Sandlwand said. “Some executives today will not be able to share power in hell. On some days, one will shine and the other cannot bend their nose from the shape … You really share the lights and you should be fine with that.”

Once again in Alixpartners, Garfield and Hornby said they are fine. Garfield noted that it is not appropriate for every company’s culture, but two people can be wider if they have the right and matching chemistry. “I think the demands of the modern CEO are about to not be sustainable,” Horneby said. “If you are a unique executive director, I think it is a very difficult job at the present time.