The new series features comments from Seven & i Holdings President Stephen Hays Dacus, who became president in May 2025, as well as remarks from executives who have publicly acknowledged shortcomings in their succession planning.
Uchida Keisuke (内田圭亮), managing director at Globis, which supports executives with succession planning, says he hears concerns from the leaders of listed companies about finding successors. Some say that although candidates for divisional leadership are being developed, there is a shortage of people capable of taking charge of the overall business.
The article notes that Seven & i Holdings President Stephen Hays Dacus changed from outside director to president in May 2025. Starting from this fact, it examines the importance of developing successors and the challenges involved.
As a new series, the article presents the view that a president's succession plan is a company's most important decision and that the capabilities of its top executives determine its future. Its central theme is the concern that delays in developing talent could hold back corporate growth.
The article is part of a series titled “How to Create a President,” which takes an in-depth look at the current state of succession planning and talent development. The series is expected to bring renewed attention to each company's succession strategy as it progresses.