Organizational culture has become a defining factor in business performance, leadership effectiveness, and long-term organizational success. As companies navigate growth, disruption, mergers, and evolving workforce expectations, executive search and leadership consultants are increasingly expected to help clients understand not only who to hire, but how leadership and culture must evolve together.

Join AESC and Cognadev for a fireside chat with seasoned CHRO Willie Smit, who brings more than two decades of experience partnering with consultants to lead cultural transformation across global organizations. Drawing on real-world examples, Willie will share how organizations recognize the need for cultural change, build the business case for transformation, and navigate the complexities of implementation.

Throughout the discussion, participants will gain a candid look at the client perspective, including what distinguishes trusted advisors from transactional consultants, the warning signs that transformation efforts may be at risk, and the critical factors that strengthen long-term consulting partnerships. By exploring both successful initiatives and lessons learned from challenging engagements, attendees will leave with practical insights they can apply to future client relationships.

By participating in this webinar, participants will learn to:

• Recognize the organizational and leadership signals that indicate a need for cultural transformation.
• Understand how senior executives evaluate, prioritize, and implement culture change initiatives.
• Identify the characteristics of effective client-consultant partnerships during periods of organizational change.
• Recognize common pitfalls and warning signs that can undermine transformation efforts.
• Apply lessons from real-world case studies to strengthen advisory conversations with clients.
• Build greater credibility by understanding the CHRO perspective on leadership, culture, and organizational transformation.