Hannah Challis
Executive Advisory | Leadership Assessment | Board & Team Effectiveness

I work with boards, CEOs and senior leaders on the moments that matter — appointments, transitions, performance inflection points and organisational change.

My focus is simple: clearer judgement, stronger leadership impact and reduced risk in critical people decisions.

How I Work

Leadership decisions at the top of an organisation carry disproportionate impact. The quality of thinking, alignment and behaviour at board and executive level determines performance, culture and long-term value.

I provide independent, commercially grounded advice informed by deep experience in leadership assessment, executive performance and organisational dynamics. My work is pragmatic, confidential and focused on tangible outcomes.

Services

Executive Leadership

What I do

I coach CEOs and senior leaders on real, current challenges, including:

• Role transitions and first-100-day priorities

• Stakeholder management and board engagement

• Decision-making under pressure

• Leadership style, judgement and personal impact

• Navigating conflict, complexity and competing expectations

Typical outcomes

• Clearer priorities and sharper focus

• Better judgement under pressure

• Stronger alignment with boards and executive peers

• More consistent and effective leadership behaviour

• Increased confidence in high-stakes situations

Assessment & Feedback

What I do

I provide rigorous, independent assessment to support selection, development and succession decisions, including:

• Executive and leadership assessment

• Psychological profiling

• 360-degree feedback processes

• Team and culture diagnostics

• Written advisory reports for boards and nomination committees

Typical outcomes

• Clearer go / no-go appointment decisions

• Reduced hiring and succession risk

• Shared understanding of strengths and development gaps

• Evidence-based development priorities

• Greater confidence in critical talent decisions

Talent & Succession

What I do

I support boards and executives to strengthen leadership depth and continuity through:

• Evaluation of candidates for executive and critical roles

• Design and facilitation of succession planning processes

• Identification of high-potential leaders

• Structured onboarding and early-performance support for senior hires

Typical outcomes

• Identified ready-now and ready-later successors

• Stronger internal talent pipelines

• Smoother executive transitions

• Fewer performance surprises in senior appointments

• Improved long-term leadership bench strength

Team & Culture

What I do

I work with leadership teams to improve effectiveness, alignment and behaviour, including:

• Leadership team reviews and resets

• Addressing dysfunctional dynamics or unresolved conflict

• Clarifying decision rights, accountabilities and ways of working

• Supporting teams through change, integration or restructuring

Typical outcomes

• Clearer roles and accountabilities

• Improved trust and working relationships

• Faster, more disciplined decision-making

• More consistent behaviour across the leadership group

• Stronger collective ownership of performance

Board Reviews

What I do

I conduct independent board and committee effectiveness reviews tailored to the organisation’s context and governance maturity.

This includes:

• Board performance and composition reviews

• Chair and director feedback

• Committee effectiveness assessments

• Evaluation of board–management alignment

• Governance process and information flow review

My approach combines confidential director surveys and interviews, observation where appropriate and structured written reporting with clear, practical recommendations.

Typical outcomes

• Clearer view of board strengths and gaps

• More effective board dynamics and debate

• Improved alignment between board and management

• Stronger governance processes and information flow

• Actionable development priorities for chairs and directors

Who I Work With

I partner with:

• Boards and nomination committees

• CEOs and executive teams

• Listed, private and not-for-profit organisations

• Organisations navigating transition, growth or complexity

Engagements are confidential, direct and tailored to the organisation’s context.