In this episode of FOMO Sapiens, Patrick McGinnis sits down with Byron Loflin, Global Head of Board Advisory at NASDAQ and co-author of the upcoming book CEO Ready, to unpack the high-stakes world of CEO succession and modern leadership.
Byron Loflin shares hard-earned insights from years of advising boards and top executives on governance and leadership transitions. He explains why being the most qualified candidate isn’t always enough to land the top job, and why humility—not bravado—is the essential skill for sustainable leadership.
Drawing from lessons of the 2008 financial crisis and real-world examples like the OpenAI board shake-up, Byron Loflin reveals how well-structured, transparent boards can prevent chaos and ensure companies stay resilient. He also outlines how boards and founders can foster excellence through continuous succession planning, rigorous documentation, and selecting members who provide authentic, future-oriented feedback.
Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, or aspiring leader, this conversation reframes what it means to be truly CEO ready.
Byron Loflin is Global Head of Board Advisory at Nasdaq, where he leads board assessments and boardroom training for Nasdaq Governance Solutions. He is the founder and former CEO of the Center for Board Excellence (CBE) – acquired by Nasdaq in 2019 – and is the architect of CBE’s unique board assessment and advisory platform. Byron is recognized in the governance community for developing unique products that address board dynamics, corporate culture, accountability, and performance. His experience and expertise are in the design and administration of assessments and advising board chairs, boards, committees, directors, and executive management in a full range of corporate governance matters, including strategic alignment, best practices, board refreshment, diversity, structures, and corporate planning. He and his team have performed several hundred third-party board, committee, peer, and CEO self-assessments for organizations of all structures and sizes.
Byron is a graduate of Harvard Business School (OPM) and James Madison University (BA). He is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance, the Institute of Directors (UK), and the National Association of Corporate Directors. Some of his recent published works include: “Love Your Neighbor,” International Banker Spring 2019, “Guide to Board Assessments,” Corporate Board Member June 2019, “Reboot, Not Refresh,” International Banker Spring 2018; “Board Evaluations: Getting Aligned,” published by Nasdaq 2017, and “Six Reasons Digital D&O Questionnaires Streamline Proxy Disclosure,” published by Nasdaq 2017. He is also a co-author of the upcoming book, CEO Ready: What You Need to Know to Earn the Job.
For media and speaking requests, and to suggest a guest for the show, please email letsconnect@patrickmcginnis.com.
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