Gone are the days of traditional leadership. The C-suite is expanding to include new executive roles as organisations grapple with multiple transformations. 

The bigger focus on technology, sustainability and employee wellbeing has given businesses new opportunities, but it has also added complexity. To manage the risks, organisations need a more diverse and specialised set of leadership skills. 

But a growing C-suite naturally alters the way an organisation operates. More viewpoints and conflicting priorities can slow down decision-making. And many transformation initiatives span multiple business areas, which can blur the lines between roles, cause internal friction and hamper strategic progress. 

So organisations will have to clearly define executive responsibilities. Without distinct roles, they’ll find it much harder to foster the cross-functional collaboration they need to innovate, take risks and be agile. 

Power in the C-suite is shifting

The profile of the CEO is changing. Not only are they expected to take on a wider range of responsibilities while navigating uncertainty, but they’re also facing competition from other leadership roles:

• Chief financial officers are increasingly moving into CEO roles. About 15 per cent of FTSE 100 CEOs were CFOs immediately before they became CEOs. 

• Chief data officers are quickly moving from roles focused on data governance and regulatory compliance into much more strategic responsibilities, often working directly with the CEO on getting data-driven results.  

• The role of the chief human resource officer (CHRO) is also evolving. A recent Accenture survey revealed that 89 per cent of CEOs believe CHROs should have a central role in creating long-term profitable growth. 

• And new roles are still emerging — from chief innovation officer to chief sustainability officer and chief AI officer. Specialist skills that were once seen as niche are now critical to business success. 

Growth in new C-suite titles (2018 – 2023)

Source: Delloitte

What this means for your thought leadership

In this new era of the C-suite, the traditional approach of directing thought leadership towards CEOs is not going to be enough. Businesses will have to start telling stories that resonate with all of these decision-makers.  

First, know the difference

To make sure your insights are useful to each member of the C-suite, you’ll need a deep understanding of role responsibilities and every role’s related strategic priorities. 

For example, while both CEOs and CFOs said that growth was a top business priority in 2024, they didn’t agree about how to achieve it: CFOs were more likely to prioritise cost management, and CEOs were more likely to see sustainability as important to growth. This is where thought leadership comes in: you can create value by giving leaders actionable ways to bridge these gaps and improve collaboration.

A recent Deloitte study provides a great example of what this might look like. After examining the C-suites of Fortune 500 companies and analysing 46,000 C-suite job postings, the study concluded that along with C-suite titles, the number of skills executives are expected to bring to the table has increased significantly between 2018 and 2023. And this creates ambiguity around ownership and collaboration. Crucially, the report concludes with clear, actionable ways for organisations to manage the ongoing changes.

Then, say what only you can say 

To engage the entire C-suite, your content will have to find a balance between high-level insight and role-specific challenges. Most importantly, it needs to offer something unique.

Beyond focusing on your business’s expertise, including a wide range of perspectives from your own C-suite is a powerful way to bring your stories to life. As one Forbes contributor points out, some of the core benefits of leadership networking include knowledge-sharing and learning from each other. The same is true for your thought leadership. 

One example of this is US consultancy firm The Miles Group’s podcast C-Suite Intelligence. Hosted by the company’s CEO and featuring guest appearances from across the leadership team, the podcast explores trending leadership topics from within the business. This gives the CEO a platform to share the one-of-a-kind insights and experiences of chief operating officers, managing directors and other senior people. 

As the roles of leaders change, the way you communicate with them should change too. If you address the diverse perspectives, priorities and challenges of today’s executive decision-makers in an authentic and truly insightful way, you’ll make an impact that lasts. 

Ready to learn more?

We’ve got more great insights on how to boost your transformation thought leadership to win new business more efficiently.

1. Why transformation thought leadership calls for clearer messages
2. How can your brand influence every step of a buyers decision-making process?