Talent Report 2 min read

2026 Leadership Report | AI & Succession Planning | ON Partners

ON Partners · June 15, 2026

Talent Report 2026

The Widening Gap

ON Partners presents new research on executive mobility, succession readiness, and how AI is reshaping leadership expectations as the timeline for executive transitions grows shorter.

94% of executives say AI is changing the role

9% are substantially rethinking the role before they hire

The full report

Get the Insights

Drawing on survey data from senior leaders across public, private, and PE-backed firms.

What the Date Shows

Executive turnover is no longer a contingency. It's a timing problem.

We surveyed 400+ senior leaders across public, private, and PE-backed firms. Three findings stand out.

81%

Of executives are open to leaving

Four in five senior leaders say they're open to new opportunities if the right role arises. Fewer than 1% report burnout. The risk isn't disengagement; it's optionality.

46%

Say succession isn't proactively managed

Nearly half of leaders report that transition conversations begin only after a seat goes empty; exactly when timelines compress and decisions get made under pressure.

29%

Still hire like-for-like

More than a quarter replace executives with the same profile: filling tomorrow's roles against yesterday's requirements, in a market where 94% say AI is already changing the job.

The signature finding

The AI confidence gap sits exactly where succession risk lives.

The leaders setting enterprise direction feel ready but the leaders next in line don't. That gap is the report's central warning.

Measure C Suite VPs

Feel very prepared personally for AI 75% 42%

Say their organization is very prepared 68% 40%

Say AI is significantly evolving their role 61% 36%

Received formal AI upskilling support 77% 57%

Inside the Report

What you'll find

Why leadership mobility is stronger than most organizations assume, and what's really driving moves at the top
Where succession planning breaks down, and what it costs when the pressure is already on
The full C-suite vs. VP confidence gap across readiness, role change, and upskilling
How AI is redefining the skills the next generation of leaders will need
What boards and talent leaders should be doing now, before the window closes

“The pace of change has outrun most organizational playbooks right now. Leaders are being asked to make high-stakes decisions with limited visibility given how quickly the technology landscape is evolving.

The organizations gaining ground aren’t waiting for a clear roadmap. They’re building with the understanding that this is a dynamic strategy.“

Bryan Buck

An extended vacancy creates a credibility problem in the market. The longer a role remains unfilled, the more candidates begin to question whether the challenge lies with the business, the leadership team, or the expectations around the role

Tara Flickinger