Executive leadership stability is becoming a critical governance risk for MATs. Rising turnover among CEOs, COOs, and CFOs and inconsistent succession pipelines are prompting boards to ask difficult questions about organisational resilience: “What happens if a key executive can’t continue tomorrow?”. With a limited talent pool and competition for leaders who combine educational and commercial expertise, succession planning is no longer a procedural exercise but a strategic priority. As trusts scale and founder CEOs transition, building internal pipelines and strengthening board oversight will be a defining issue for 2026 and beyond.

• Developing future executives, not only headteachers
• Managing interim dependence and unplanned exits
• Preventing burnout and building resilience at the top
• The board’s role in executive sustainability and succession planning