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Case studies

United Business Media
Kiddy helps UBM with Succession Planning

Summary

We worked with the HR Director to identify the key business drivers around succession within the United Business Media (UBM) businesses. This was a here and now and 2-5 year analysis that identified a number of core issues to be driven out around how succession planning needed to be improved.

We ran a one day workshop for the global HR Council to help them understand the broader context and drivers for succession, as well as sign up to an overall approach.

Since UBM is heavily federalised, each HRD took the agreed process back to their business to adapt to their individual needs.

Our Approach

We worked with the HRD to identify key needs for succession:

  • Robust succession plans for Business Board levels and into Group roles;
  • A move to “Ready Now” successors rather than “Ready 2-3 years” who never develop to that position;
  • Broadening the skills and understanding base of the HRBPs;
  • SOX compliance around people governance requirements.

The workshop itself had the follow elements:

  • Succession and the wider Talent Management environment
  • Analysis of where the businesses currently stood re succession planning
  • Five steps to succession and a work through each element
  • Discussion about the process should be adapted for the business and deployed in each territory

Results

We guided the HR Council through an analysis of their current succession processes to identify key gaps. We then outlined a core approach to succession planning and led the discussion amongst the HR Council to determine which elements they would adopt.

The individual members then took this back into their territories and agreed a structured approach within their businesses. The output has been that Group HR now has a much more robust and clearer line of sight into the key successors for the businesses and those with the potential to lead the business as a whole in the future.

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