Egon Zehnder’s Global Semiconductor Practice Group recently assembled a group of human resources executives from some of the world’s leading semiconductor companies for a dinner conversation focused on the trends and challenges facing the industry.

For 30 years, Egon Zehnder has been in the business of assessing leaders along two broad dimensions: potential and competence. One key conclusion? You can’t have either without curiosity. Although we have found that high potentials also need insight, engagement, and determination, curiosity—defined as a penchant for seeking new experiences, knowledge, and feedback and an openness to change—is perhaps most important.

Lisa Blais, Egon Zehnder's co-leader of the US Board Practice, discusses how boards can attract the top C-suite talent.

Most CEOs are grappling with one particular challenge, irrespective of industry or geography: getting the right leadership talent. Governments face this challenge too. The Indian government has responded to this challenge by taking the initiative to invite executives from beyond the ranks of the civil service to apply for certain Joint Secretary posts.

As the first generation of middle-market private equity leaders nears retirement, many firms are struggling with how to move forward with succession planning, even when faced with increasing pressure from their limited partners.

According to an Egon Zehnder survey of 402 CEOs from 11 countries, 68% of company chiefs said that they weren't fully prepared for their role as CEO. As new CEOs adjust to their roles, HR leaders can educate them on the value of human capital management (HCM) and how strategies for hiring, training and development, compensation and other HR functions line up with organizational goals.

Dick Patton talks to NPR about the importance of mindset preparation and the role of boards in helping CEOs succeed.

CEOs are known for their confidence, but according to a. Egon Zehnder survey of 402 CEOs from 11 countries, while many did feel ready for the strategic and business aspects of their roles, they felt much less prepared for the personal and interpersonal components of leadership, which are just as critical to success.

One could be forgiven, then, for assuming that a good CEO is little more than an omnipotent puppeteer, pulling the strings to assign the right people to the right projects. These are the CEOs of Hollywood screenplay writers. The real world could hardly be more different.

According to Egon Zehnder’s Jean-Pierre Pedrazzini, most CEOs operate at just 50-75% of their potential, and before being able to transform their company, CEOs first need to transform themselves. In an interview with ‘Agefi’s Elsa Floret, Pedrazzini discussed the results of Egon Zehnder’s global CEO survey, how the role of an executive is changing and how to measure the potential of a future CEO.