CEO Succession: Smooth road or bumpy path

CEO Succession is one of the critical roles of the Board. Join our panel of experienced directors and advisors as they discuss best practices and important considerations for the Board to ensure a smooth CEO Transition. Topics include Long-Term/Planned and Emergency CEO Succession Plans, Leadership Retention During a CEO Transition, Communications to Key Stakeholders, and CEO Onboarding.

Panelists and moderator

Terri Funk Graham ranks among the select few female marketing professionals to hold board positions within multiple Fortune 1,000 companies. Currently, she is serving on the Board of Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., the $6 billion specialty retailer of natural and organic food focusing on health and wellness at a great value. She serves as the chairperson of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and serves on the Compensation and Risk Committee. Terri also serves on the board of LL Flooring, Inc., the largest specialty retailer of hardwood flooring in North America, since October 2018. She serves as the chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance and member of Compensation Committee. 

Martha Demski is an experienced board member and an accomplished, strategically focused, solution-driven business executive with over 35 years of experience in biotech and finance. She is currently chair of the Board of the biopharmaceutical company, Chimerix, Inc. (CMRX) and serves as a member of the Audit Committee. Additionally, she is a director of ADMA Biologics (ADMA) and Equillium, Inc. (EQ), serving as chair of its Audit Committees and a member of its Compensation Committees. In 2017, she was recognized as Director of the Year in Corporate Governance by the Corporate Directors Forum.

Karen Deshaine is a partner with Cooley. Karen’s practice encompasses a wide range of business and corporate matters, including private financings, public offerings, corporate governance, commercial transactions, strategic transactions, securities matters, and the general representation of public and private companies.