Building a structured succession pipeline for 100+ key positions at STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics faced a growing risk of leadership gaps due to the retirement of senior experts and the lack of formal succession planning, especially in its 4,400-strong R&D division spread across 22 countries.

I designed and rolled out the first structured succession planning framework within the group, targeting 100+ key roles. This included 17 top leadership positions (group’s staff) and 83 managers at N-2 level. I introduced a full assessment and talent mapping process using the Korn Ferry methodology and 9-box grids. I also launched a mentoring track and partnered with engineering schools to feed a junior pipeline anticipating ~40 expert retirements per year.

Within 18 months, the group achieved 95% succession coverage on targeted roles, increased the promotion readiness rate by 30%, and secured business continuity across critical R&D teams in Europe and Asia.