Cowen Partners President Shawn Cole Weighs In on the CFO Succession Crisis for Fortune
As Fortune reports record CFO turnover, companies are discovering a harsh reality: their internal finance leadership pipelines have run dry. Cowen Partners President and Founding Partner Shawn Cole revealed to Fortune’s Sheryl Estrada why boards are scrambling to fill the C-suite’s most strategic role. “Boards have no process for developing or identifying the next generation
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Agenda Features Cowen Partners Insights on Record CFO-to-CEO Promotion Trend
Cowen Partners President Shawn Cole was quoted in Agenda discussing the historic rise in CFO-to-CEO transitions, as boards navigate economic uncertainty and prioritize financial discipline. Last year saw a record 10.3% of Fortune 500 and S&P 500 CEOs come directly from the CFO role—the highest percentage ever recorded. Cole explained this shift reflects both immediate
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Case Study: National Wealth Management Firm Secures Rare Partner-Level Tax Talent in Hyper-Competitive Market
When TFO Wealth Partners came to us, they faced a recruitment challenge that had stumped traditional hiring approaches: finding partner-level tax professionals with Ultra High Net Worth expertise in a market where the best candidates aren’t looking, and competition from Big 4 firms is relentless. This wasn’t about posting a job and waiting. The talent
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Chief Legal Officer Job Description (2026)
The role of the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) has evolved significantly as organizations face increasing regulatory complexity, cybersecurity exposure, AI governance concerns, shareholder scrutiny, and enterprise risk management demands. Today’s CLO is no longer viewed solely as the company’s top legal advisor. Modern Chief Legal Officers are increasingly expected to serve as strategic business leaders
Read MoreFortune Quotes Cowen Partners on CFO Leadership Amid Kyndryl Crisis
Cowen Partners Executive Search President and Founding Partner Shawn Cole was featured in Fortune discussing the critical CFO qualifications needed at Kyndryl Holdings following an SEC accounting probe and executive departures that sent the company’s stock plummeting 50%. Cole emphasized that the IT services giant needs “a permanent CFO who is controls-first and cash-disciplined, not
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Jacob Gamble on Why 2025’s Wall of Worry Sets Up 2026 for Gains
Markets spent 2025 navigating familiar concerns: tariff volatility, elevated valuations, and inflation fears. Yet economic growth and corporate earnings consistently exceeded expectations, with particularly strong performance in European equities. In his latest analysis for All Access Capital Markets, Cowen Partners Executive Search Principal Jacob Gamble examines why worst-case scenarios failed to materialize. Global money supply
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CEO Succession Planning When the Bench Is Thin
Most credit unions claim to have a succession plan, but how many have actually identified and developed internal candidates ready to step into the CEO role? In his latest article for theCredit Union Times, Cowen Partners President & Co-Founder Shawn Cole examines the critical gap between having a succession document and true leadership preparedness. Cole
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The Cross-Sector Imperative: Why 70% of Investors Now Reward Boundary-Crossing Leadership
By Shawn Cole, Executive Recruiter & Cowen Partners Co-Founder — Shawn Cole is a trusted thought leader and premier authority on executive recruitment, visionary leadership, turnarounds, culture fit, C-suite assessment, executive compensation, and more across all industries. As President & Co-Founder of Cowen Partners, Shawn Cole is a pioneering leader and visionary thinker in C-Suite
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How Executive Search Is Changing in 2026
Cowen Partners Executive Search President and Co-Founder Shawn Cole examines why executive searches are increasingly failing at the offer stage in his latest article, “What Changed in the Executive Talent Market While You Weren’t Looking.” Cole identifies six critical factors reshaping executive compensation in 2026, including the collapse of geographic pay discounts, the shift from
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Cowen Partners Executive Search Weighs In on Uber’s CFO Succession Strategy
Shawn Cole was recently quoted in CFO Dive’s analysis of Uber Technologies’ CFO transition, offering expert perspective on what the leadership change signals about the company’s strategic priorities and succession planning approach. When Uber announced that VP of strategic finance Balaji Krishnamurthy would replace CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, Cole interpreted the move as a deliberate choice
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