DOGE will have an enduring impact on public sector contracting. Fortunately, the AI revolution in federal contracting is here, and forward-thinking VARs have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get ahead of the curve.

Increased Efficiency and Transparency Requirements

DOGE-driven mandates often emphasize greater efficiency and transparency in government contracting. The AI-driven solutions described in this series, especially related to pricing optimization, could see a heightened relevance due to such mandates. AI’s ability to provide transparent, data-backed pricing and bundling strategies could directly align with DOGE’s efficiency and compliance standards, positioning AI-enabled VARs as preferred partners in federal procurement.

Enhanced Data and Reporting Standards

If DOGE strengthens data management and reporting standards, VARs leveraging AI would have a distinct advantage. The AI tools described—particularly those utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) for summarizing procurement documents and predictive analytics—would inherently meet or exceed these data transparency and reporting benchmarks. Such AI systems would also facilitate the rapid adaptation to new DOGE-driven reporting requirements, potentially reducing compliance costs and improving speed-to-market for VARs.

Streamlined Procurement Processes

If DOGE drives streamlined procurement processes, VARs can reduce cycle times and complexity. The series highlights AI’s capability to identify opportunities efficiently, analyze procurement documents swiftly, and predict emerging requirements. These capabilities are perfectly aligned with a streamlined procurement landscape, potentially increasing the number of viable opportunities identified by VARs and enabling quicker response times to new procurements.

Shifts Toward Outcome-based Procurement

DOGE often encourages outcome-based procurement strategies. Emphasis on predictive pricing, optimized product bundling, and identifying relationship affinities in this series positions AI-enabled VARs well for outcome-oriented contracts. VARs utilizing AI to anticipate client requirements and align their offerings with expected outcomes could gain substantial competitive advantages under DOGE’s strategic shifts.

Heightened Emphasis on Competitive Fairness

If DOGE introduces initiatives aimed at enhancing competitive fairness and reducing entrenched incumbent advantages, the AI-driven opportunity identification and relationship affinity analysis outlined could be particularly beneficial. AI tools could help VARs understand how past awards might be influenced by relationships versus objective performance, allowing them to compete more strategically and fairly under the new DOGE directives.

The future belongs to those who harness the power of AI to work smarter, move faster, and compete more effectively.

**Scott Keough brings over 30 years of leadership experience in B2B SaaS, working with firms serving VARs, integrators, and OEMs. His expertise spans planning, business development, sales, and service delivery for cloud, IT infrastructure, and AI offerings. With a proven record of bootstrapping startups to profitability and positioning them for rapid growth, Scott excels at setting strategy, architecting solutions, building teams, and providing governance and guidance—qualities that uniquely position him to contribute significantly as a board member to firms in the reselling industry. Scott co-founded a procurement SaaS firm where he most recently was instrumental in the acquisition of his firm by a JMI Equity private equity-owned platform company, Unanet.

Traditional Approach: Traditionally, VARs have relied on human analysis to estimate a winning price or margin. This process is time-consuming and often based on anecdotal experiences and historical knowledge, which may not accurately reflect current market dynamics.

AI-Enhanced Approach: AI can significantly enhance the pricing strategy process by analyzing vast datasets of past award information, current market trends, competitor pricing, and more. This approach allows for the identification of best pricing strategies that maximize the likelihood of winning bids at the best possible margins. Machine learning algorithms use factors such as time of year, buying history of the agency, and competitor behavior to predict winning prices with higher accuracy.

Precision in Predictive Pricing

AI’s analysis of historical bid data, incorporating variables like the purchasing patterns of specific agencies and seasonal budget fluctuations, enables more effective strategies. For instance, analysis might reveal that bids within 2-5% of the historical average are a certain percentage more likely to win, helping VARs to fine-tune their bids.

Cost Optimization

AI can pinpoint cost-saving opportunities within the supply chain, improving margins without compromising competitiveness. For example, optimizing logistics based on AI insights could reduce delivery costs by a certain percentage. AI can also analyze opportunity data to gain access to bigger OEM discounts by finding promising OEM partner program candidates for a given VAR based on the VAR’s existing capabilities, complementary OEM programs, and award trends.

Competitive Gaming Insight

Understanding competitive trends becomes powerful with AI. If a competing VAR is seen to be on a losing streak, AI can predict their likelihood to price aggressively in future bids. Conversely, winning streaks may show a competitor’s pricing confidence, guiding strategic pricing adjustments. For instance, AI might suggest pricing strategies to outmaneuver a competitor expected to bid low to break a losing streak.

Opportunity Identification Based on Relationship Affinities

AI can effectively highlight opportunities historically awarded to specific bidders, hinting at possible relationship-driven decisions. For example, if a product has consistently been awarded to the same bidder, this might indicate a special relationship. AI can advise whether to compete aggressively for such bids or focus efforts elsewhere, based on patterns that suggest whether these trends are based on performance, relationships, or other factors.

**Scott Keough brings over 30 years of leadership experience in B2B SaaS, working with firms serving VARs, integrators, and OEMs. His expertise spans planning, business development, sales, and service delivery for cloud, IT infrastructure, and AI offerings. With a proven record of bootstrapping startups to profitability and positioning them for rapid growth, Scott excels at setting strategy, architecting solutions, building teams, and providing governance and guidance—qualities that uniquely position him to contribute significantly as a board member to firms in the reselling industry. Scott co-founded a procurement SaaS firm where he most recently was instrumental in the acquisition of his firm by a JMI Equity private equity-owned platform company, Unanet.

Traditional Approach: Finding the most advantageous combinations of products often relies on the VAR’s knowledge of available OEM programs, certifications, and discounts. This process is inherently limited by the VAR’s specific experiences and relationships.

AI-Enhanced Approach: AI can analyze historical data on past awards involving various combinations of products to find patterns and combinations that have been successful. By using information about OEM programs, certifications, and available discounts, AI can recommend combinations that offer competitive advantages. Moreover, AI can uncover hidden synergies between products that may have been overlooked, thereby providing VARs with unique bundling opportunities that can outmatch competitors.

Data-driven Bundle Optimization

AI can analyze vast datasets to show which product combinations have historically led to successful bids. To illustrate, it might find that combining cybersecurity software with specific hardware increases the win rate due to complementary functionality, enabling VARs to create more compelling bids.

Dynamic Discount Leveraging

By understanding specific details of OEM discount programs and how they have been successfully applied, AI can suggest the most effective combinations of discounts and products. An AI system might identify a strategy that leverages end-of-quarter OEM discounts in conjunction with bulk purchase discounts, effectively reducing costs for certain product bundles.

Certification and Program Advantage Utilization

AI can identify opportunities where a VAR’s specific certifications or program memberships give them a distinct advantage, such as offering exclusive products or additional services. This could lead to situations where, for example, the combination of AI insights with membership in a specific OEM’s platinum program allows a VAR to offer a unique combination of products and services, increasing the bid’s attractiveness by a certain percentage.

**Scott Keough brings over 30 years of leadership experience in B2B SaaS, working with firms serving VARs, integrators, and OEMs. His expertise spans planning, business development, sales, and service delivery for cloud, IT infrastructure, and AI offerings. With a proven record of bootstrapping startups to profitability and positioning them for rapid growth, Scott excels at setting strategy, architecting solutions, building teams, and providing governance and guidance—qualities that uniquely position him to contribute significantly as a board member to firms in the reselling industry. Scott co-founded a procurement SaaS firm where he most recently was instrumental in the acquisition of his firm by a JMI Equity private equity-owned platform company, Unanet.

The Legacy of Separation

In most organizations today, AI and cybersecurity are still managed in silos. Cybersecurity remains predominantly the responsibility of the IT function, with Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) leading efforts to guard networks, infrastructure, and sensitive data. Meanwhile, AI development is often decentralized, with various business units—such as marketing, operations, or finance—initiating their own pilot projects or proofs of concept to drive automation and analytics.

This separation was tolerable in the initial stages of AI adoption. However, as AI systems mature and proliferate across customer-facing platforms, internal operations, and decision-making engines, they introduce entirely new attack surfaces that cybersecurity teams are ill-equipped to monitor without strategic alignment. In turn, AI solutions themselves are vulnerable to a new breed of threats that exploit not hardware or software, but logic, data, and model behavior.

AI Expands the Attack Surface

Unlike traditional IT systems, AI-driven solutions are built upon models that learn and evolve over time. This dynamic nature introduces unique vulnerabilities outside the scope of conventional cybersecurity frameworks:

• Algorithmic Bias: AI models trained on unrepresentative or biased data can make discriminatory decisions, posing reputational and legal risks. Malicious actors may even manipulate training data to introduce bias deliberately.
• Model Drift: Over time, an AI model’s performance can degrade as real-world conditions shift. Attackers can exploit this drift, feeding the model with misleading data until it begins to make incorrect predictions or recommendations.
• Identity and Access Management: As AI tools become embedded in customer experiences—think chatbots, recommendation engines, or automated loan approvals—they require access to sensitive data. Poorly secured APIs, identity mismanagement, or insufficient encryption can open the door to data theft or manipulation.
• Data Poisoning: Threat actors may introduce corrupted data into AI training sets to subtly skew outcomes, causing models to behave unpredictably or unsafely once deployed.

These issues extend beyond the firewall and cannot be contained solely within the traditional purview of IT security. They require a rethinking of how AI and cyber functions collaborate and co-evolve.

Cyber Needs AI to Defend at Machine Speed

Conversely, cybersecurity itself is becoming increasingly dependent on AI to address the scale and speed of modern digital threats. Human analysts can no longer keep up with the volume of security incidents, the sophistication of threat actors, or the velocity at which attacks unfold. Cyber defense must operate at machine speed—detecting, analyzing, and responding to threats in real time.

AI and machine learning play a pivotal role in enabling this transformation:

• Pattern Recognition and Anomaly Detection: AI models can detect deviations from baseline behavior across users, applications, and systems—flagging threats that would otherwise go unnoticed.
• Threat Simulation and Intelligence: AI can simulate attacks to test system defenses, as well as aggregate threat intelligence from disparate sources to inform proactive defense measures.
• Automated Response and Remediation: Advanced AI systems can trigger containment protocols, revoke access, or quarantine compromised systems autonomously – shrinking response times from hours to milliseconds.

This AI-enabled cyber defense ecosystem is essential to keep pace with threats. However, without aligning AI development practices and security protocols, the same AI systems intended to protect the enterprise may themselves become targets.

The Case for Strategic Convergence

To address these intertwined challenges, companies must stop viewing AI and cyber as functional silos and parallel tracks and instead pursue an integrated strategy that unites them from design to deployment. This involves three critical shifts:

• Secure-by-Design AI Development – AI systems should be architected with cybersecurity in mind from the start. This includes:
  • Implementing model explainability to understand and audit decision-making processes.
  • Designing robust data governance frameworks to ensure training data is accurate, protected, and free from manipulation.
  • Embedding privacy and access controls directly into AI workflows and APIs.
  • Stress-testing models under adversarial conditions to understand failure modes and vulnerabilities.
• AI-Powered Security Operations – Security operations centers (SOCs) should be equipped with AI-driven tools that:
  • Continuously monitor system behavior using machine learning.
  • Detect complex threats that span multiple vectors or timeframes.
  • Automate triage, escalation, and resolution processes using intelligent playbooks.
• Unified Governance and Compliance – Governance frameworks must evolve to encompass both AI and cyber. Boards and executives must establish:
  • Common policies governing AI model development, deployment, and usage.
  • Shared accountability between CISOs, Chief Data Officers, AI leaders, and business unit leaders.
  • Clear audit trails and compliance mechanisms for both cyber regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) and AI ethics.

Executive and Board-Level Engagement

Achieving this convergence is not merely a technical challenge; it requires cultural and organizational transformation. Left to their own devices, cyber and AI leaders may continue to operate in functional silos, hampered by competing priorities and unclear mandates. That is why active involvement from the board and executive leadership is essential.

Boards must ensure that AI and cyber risks are understood as enterprise-level risks, with implications for reputation, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience. They should demand regular reporting on AI model integrity and cybersecurity posture and hold leadership accountable for cross-functional collaboration. Boards may also have to consider committee changes to add or modify mandates to strengthen oversight.

CEOs and CFOs must allocate resources accordingly—not just funding individual projects but investing in shared infrastructure, talent, and governance models that enable secure and scalable AI deployment.

A New Digital Imperative

In a digital-first world, scalability cannot come at the expense of security, and security cannot slow the pace of innovation. The only way to achieve both is through the integrated evolution of AI and cybersecurity.

AI systems will continue to redefine customer experience, business intelligence, and operational efficiency. But these systems must be trustworthy, protected, and resilient. Meanwhile, cyber defense must keep pace with machine-speed threats—requiring the very AI capabilities being developed across the enterprise.

The organizations that thrive in the next phase of digital evolution will be those that stop treating AI and cybersecurity as separate priorities—and instead, embrace them as co-dependent pillars of a smarter, safer, and more scalable future.

**Steve Hill has more than 38 years of experience in technology-enabled change and business transformations. He is known for driving sustainable and profitable growth through industry-leading innovation and strategic investments. Steve was the very first Vice Chairman for Innovation & Investments at KPMG and across the entire Big Four.  Following his role as Global Head of Innovation, Steve recently retired from KPMG with his most recent position as Regional Advisory Leader, One Americas. He is now focused on bringing his expertise in innovation, investments, digital transformation, cyber and generative AI in service to corporate boards of directors.

Public sector value-added resellers (VARs) face a host of challenges, from shrinking margins to increasingly complex customer requirements. Traditional approaches to opportunity identification, pricing, and solution development struggle to keep pace. Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize how VARs find opportunities, navigate and win in the public sector.

This comes at an opportune time in the public sector, given the pressure to change driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

For VARs seeking to remain ahead of the curve, now is the time to explore how AI can help. By leveraging AI to identify the most winnable opportunities, enhance product bundling, and optimize pricing, VARs can gain a significant edge in an increasingly competitive landscape.

How can AI surface the most promising leads tailored to unique strengths? Uncover hidden product synergies that competitors overlook? Optimize pricing for every bid, based on real-time market dynamics?

Over the coming weeks, we’ll post a blog mini-series envisioning how public sector VARs can harness AI to transform their business. The mini-series will explore AI use cases to:

• simply find more opportunities in the strike zone
• build winning product combinations
• find the highest winning price

We’ll wrap up with a post the benefits of AI in context of DOGE-inspired change.

First AI Use Case for Public Sector VARs – Simply Finding the Opportunity

Traditional Approach: The manual process of finding opportunities involves scanning known sources and using relationships, which can be inefficient and miss potential opportunities.

An AI-powered opportunity identification solution addresses these challenges head-on. By using advanced natural language processing and machine learning techniques on a vast database of past bids, wins, and related documents, an AI-enhanced system can surface the most relevant opportunities far more efficiently than manual keyword searches and human intuition alone. This allows VARs to quickly home in on the leads that best align with their unique strengths and solution offerings, without getting bogged down in irrelevant or low-probability options. This scaled scanning and qualification process increases not only not only the volume of opportunities a VAR can pursue, but also prioritizes them according to quality, leading to a higher win rate.

Summaries of Opportunities

Given the often extensive volume of documents associated with procurement opportunities, AI can greatly expedite the review process by generating concise summaries. This capability allows VARs to quickly grasp the essentials of an opportunity without the need to manually sift through numerous attachments and detailed documents. By providing summarized overviews, AI helps to save valuable time and resources, enabling faster decision-making and prioritization of promising opportunities.

Comprehensive Opportunity Identification

In addition to analyzing a wider array of data sources, the AI solution can extract key details and context from unstructured text that would be difficult and time-consuming for humans to parse at scale. This includes elements like specific personnel experience, past performance examples, and win themes from prior successful bids. By matching these granular insights against new opportunities, the system can surface leads that closely align with a VAR’s distinct strengths and proven success factors, even if they would be overlooked by traditional keyword searches.

Enhanced Relevance Matching

AI can use natural language processing (NLP) to understand the context and requirements of procurement documents, matching them with the VAR’s unique strengths and offerings. For instance, by finding keywords and phrases related to “cloud security” in procurement documents, AI can help a VAR specializing in cloud solutions pinpoint relevant opportunities, improving the match precision by a certain percentage.

Predictive Opportunity Forecasting

AI can analyze trends and patterns to forecast upcoming procurement requirements before they are formally announced. For example, by monitoring government department budget allocations and spending patterns, AI might predict an upcoming need for infrastructure upgrades, allowing VARs to prepare bids in advance and engage stakeholders early, potentially doubling their chances of winning the contract.

**Scott Keough brings over 30 years of leadership experience in B2B SaaS, working with firms serving VARs, integrators, and OEMs. His expertise spans planning, business development, sales, and service delivery for cloud, IT infrastructure, and AI offerings. With a proven record of bootstrapping startups to profitability and positioning them for rapid growth, Scott excels at setting strategy, architecting solutions, building teams, and providing governance and guidance—qualities that uniquely position him to contribute significantly as a board member to firms in the reselling industry. Scott co-founded a procurement SaaS firm where he most recently was instrumental in the acquisition of his firm by a JMI Equity private equity-owned platform company, Unanet.

In my Part One blog, I mentioned that much has been written and discussed about corporate risk. We discussed key focus areas and the need to challenge your risk management plan. I also asked the questions: Does my team have a sense of urgency to find our weaknesses? Are they implementing safeguards?

In Part Two, I ask the following questions: How good is my risk management team? What attributes do they need to deliver results?

Where to Focus – Team and Team Leadership

Many sports teams have a great game plan but fail to deliver on game day. Various factors, such as conditioning, play calling, coaching, and team personnel, contribute to the outcome

Knowing that the board has the right team in place to proactively manage risk provides reassurance and helps everyone sleep better at night.

When is the last time that management has taken a hard look at the risk management team? What is the basis of their assessment? Has the board engaged in discussions with management regarding the team?

If you are new to the board, you will want to fully understand the capabilities of your team. Consider using the suggestions below to assist in your understanding of your team’s skills. Engage in conversations with the board and management.

If you are a board member that has engaged in conversations over the years regarding the team and its skills, consider using the following suggestions as a refresher, to identify areas where individuals may need training or where new skills need to be developed. Be proactive and engage in conversations with the board and management.

When evaluating a team member, search for specific qualities that contribute to the company’s success. Keeping the team challenged and motivated is essential. A person and team leading a company’s risk management efforts should, in addition to strong technical skills, possess a combination of analytical, strategic, and leadership skills. Below are some of the key attributes that an individual and team should possess to guide a company through the never-ending array of situations.

• Passion – A deep commitment and enthusiasm for risk management, driving continuous improvement and proactive decision-making. Passion fuels perseverance in tackling

challenges and fosters a culture of diligence and responsibility within the company

• Curiosity – A strong desire to explore new risks, trends, and emerging threats and opportunities. A curious risk leader questions assumptions, seeks innovative solutions, and remains open to different perspectives to enhance risk mitigation strategies
• Strategic Mindset – The capability to align risk management with business objectives
• Problem-Solving Skills – Quick thinking and innovative approaches to mitigate risk
• Attention to Detail – Vigilance in identifying potential risks before they escalate
• Strong Communication – Ability to clearly explain risks and mitigation strategies to executives and stakeholders whether verbally or written
• Decision-Making Skills – Confidence in making critical choices under uncertainty
• Leadership & Influence – Ability to lead teams and influence company-wide risk culture
• Integrity – Commitment to ethical decision-making and compliance
• Analytical Thinking – Ability to assess risks, identify patterns, and interpret complex data
• Adaptability – Capacity to respond to emerging risks and changing regulations
• Resilience & Composure – Staying calm under pressure and navigating crises effectively
• Continuous Learning – A commitment to ongoing education and professional growth, staying updated on industry best practices, regulations, and evolving risk landscapes. A leader who values learning fosters a culture of knowledge-sharing and adaptability within the company

What’s Next – Oversight

Effective risk management requires ongoing board oversight, collaboration with executive leadership, a dynamic approach to evolving risks and a great team to execute the plan. Attracting and retaining individuals with the right personal attributes is never ending and requires the board’s attention. Pay more attention to the team, and the team will guide the company and the board to effectively minimize risk.

Final Thoughts

Having the right leadership and team members who possess analytical, strategic, and leadership skills is crucial for effective risk management. You may sleep a little better, you may feel a little better and you have put yourself in a better position to mitigate risk.

This article was partially generated with the assistance of AI technology.

**Marty Brunk is a board director and financial expert with extensive experience in audit, financial reporting, and internal controls evaluation. He brings significant value to corporate boards in the areas of financing, mergers and acquisitions, governance, risk management, compensation, and negotiations. Marty has deep experience working with private equity firms and their portfolio companies, owners and their privately held businesses. He has board experience as Board Chair, Board President, Board Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair for private, not-for-profit, government, and foundation boards. Marty’s experience also spans multiple industries and ranges from early-stage entrepreneurial companies to later stage private equity portfolio companies.

Much has been written and discussed about corporate risk. There are no shortage of strategies, approaches, articles, or consultants. So why do board members continue to lose sleep over their company’s risk management approach?

What Can Go Wrong, Might Go Wrong

Many board members and executives ask, “Where are we vulnerable? Does my team have a sense of urgency to find our weaknesses? Are they implementing safeguards? Can we manage the inevitable? Can we recover?”

Where to Focus – Key Areas

Risk Management

Risk management is the fundamental responsibility of corporate boards. Board members must ensure that their company identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks effectively to safeguard shareholder value and organizational sustainability. Risk can be viewed through various lenses. There is no perfect approach.

If you are a new member of a company’s board, you will want to fully understand the Company’s risk assessment and its plan to monitor and test. Consider using the outline below to assist with your understanding of risk management. Engage in conversations with the board and management.

If you are a board member that has engaged in numerous company risk discussions over the years, consider using the following outline as a refresher and to identify areas that may need additional emphasis. Engage in conversations with the board and management.

Strategic Risks

Strategic risks arise from decisions that affect the long-term direction of the company. Boards should:

• Ensure that business strategies align with the company’s mission and risk appetite
• Evaluate market trends, competitive dynamics, and geopolitical factors that could impact operations
• Review major investments and mergers and acquisitions to assess potential risks and returns
• Consider not only the “downside” of risk but the “up-side” of risk as well

Reputational Risks

A damaged reputation can lead to the loss of business, regulatory scrutiny, and financial losses. Boards should:

• Monitor social media and public sentiment
• Assess crisis management and communication strategies
• Ensure ethical conduct in corporate governance and operations

Operational Risks

Operational risks stem from internal processes, systems, and human factors that may disrupt business operations. Boards should consider:

• Business continuity and disaster recovery plans
• Supply chain vulnerabilities and vendor risks
• Workforce management and succession planning
• Impact of incorporating generative AI within business operations

Financial Risks

Financial risks can undermine a company’s stability. Boards should consider:

• Liquidity and cash flow management
• Credit and market risks affecting investments and financial instruments
• Fraud and financial reporting accuracy
• Capital structure and debt management strategies

Compliance and Regulatory Risks

Regulatory changes and legal obligations require strict adherence to compliance standards. Boards should:

• Ensure compliance with local, national, and international laws
• Oversee internal audits and regulatory reporting
• Foster an ethical culture to prevent misconduct and litigation risks
• Stay updated on evolving industry regulations

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Risks

Cyber threats, including cyber ransom threats, are a growing concern, requiring proactive oversight. Boards should:

• Assess the company’s cybersecurity framework and response plans
• Ensure employee training on data security best practices
• Evaluate third-party risk from vendors managing sensitive data
• Monitor adherence to data protection regulations

Environmental, Social, and Governance Risks (ESG)

ESG risks are ever changing as stakeholders evaluate corporate responsibility. Boards should consider:

• Governance policies related to board composition and executive compensation
• Environmental and natural disaster risks
• Social risks related to employment and retention
• Marketing programs that could have unintended consequences

Industry and Functional Risks

• Consider unique risks for your specific industry situation
• Consider all functional areas not already discussed including areas such as human resources, and sales and marketing.

Weighing other risk factors

The above risks should be viewed in tandem with the following dynamics:

• Current vs. longer term impact
• High, medium, and low probability
• Internal vs. external risks
• Investors, customers, and employees
• Upstream and downstream flow

What’s Next – Building the risk management team

Attracting, retaining, and evaluating individuals with the right personal attributes to monitor and evaluate risks is the natural next step.

Final Thoughts

Take a hard look at your current plan. Have a robust discussion with the board and management. Be willing to challenge your plan and be willing to make changes.

This article was partially generated with the assistance of AI technology.

**Marty Brunk is a board director and financial expert with extensive experience in audit, financial reporting, and internal controls evaluation. He brings significant value to corporate boards in the areas of financing, mergers and acquisitions, governance, risk management, compensation, and negotiations. Marty has deep experience working with private equity firms and their portfolio companies, owners and their privately held businesses. He has board experience as Board Chair, Board President, Board Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair for private, not-for-profit, government, and foundation boards. Marty’s experience also spans multiple industries and ranges from early-stage entrepreneurial companies to later stage private equity portfolio companies.

Through twenty-five years of experience in the world of executive search or as an executive agent, I have witnessed the dot.com bust, the horrid events of 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, Hurricane Helene, and the trials and tribulations of boot strapping and launching a firm that has evangelized and proven a better way to recruit executive talent. Through those times I had to resist the temptation to be afraid and only look at the present state of things. I could either let it destroy me or I could forge ahead. I chose the later – faith that could tear up and move mountains. I encourage you to choose the later and press on with your search.

There are Positives  

If you have a unique skillset or expertise that plays to times of unprecedented change, now is the time to reassess where your unique value is and elevate your profile to a market in unparalleled  times.  This applies to the C-Suite leader and honestly anyone who is layers down in an organization.

Now is the time to dig deeper and determine if your expertise lies in areas such as in disruptive situations, innovation and strategy, business and digital transformation, cybersecurity, AI, risk management, financial crisis management, catastrophic events, emergency response, corporate restructuring, organizational change management, and workforce strategy, among many others.

Although it might not feel so good right now and may be completely unsettling, perhaps this change is a good thing – a great opportunity to reflect, plan, and execute on your next great role and perhaps in an area entirely different than before. This can be an opportunity to chart a new path.

What You Can & Cannot Control

Take it from someone who likes to have control, it is true that there are many things that are out of our control. However, we can control how we choose to personally handle it. Reflect and recall the variety of other circumstances and events that were out of your control and that put you in transition such as an acquisition, merger, sale, consolidation, right-sizing to mention a few. You came through those then and you will come through this now.

The key is to survive this very stressful time is to take control and start on your search. If you have held back on starting, do not waste any more time – get started! Now it is a terrific time to reach out to your network. Perhaps there are relationships in your network that you have not given much attention to.  You may be surprised with what you find!

Tools to Ensure Success

Now that you have picked yourself up and brushed yourself off, there are a number of tools through Summit’s blog that are there to help you –

• How to Build Your Network
• Effective Networking for Introverts
• Interview Preparation –
  • Research
  • How To Be Proactive
  • Practice & Rehearse
  • How To Interview
• How to Negotiate an Offer

Remember, more than often, it is your network who gets you in the door. Have a plan, work your plan and make a full-time job out of finding your next role. Time is of the essence – whether in this time of change or your search. So, don’t furl your sail, get out there into the open sea, go and tear up and move mountains!

**Melissa A. Henderson is the disruptive thinker behind a revolutionary new model in executive search — the executive agent. As founder, president, and CEO of Summit Executive Resources, she helps companies and Boards of Directors find highly qualified executive talent swiftly and at no cost, while providing coaching and preparation services for candidates seeking new leadership or board of director opportunities.

Increasingly, however, there is another place where a CEO can turn to for advice and counsel—that would be an Executive Advisor. In today’s world, CEOs face unprecedented, complex issues such as navigating digital transformation, managing global supply chains, and responding to geopolitical shifts in a fast-changing economic and policy-influenced global setting. These issues require a daily need to make complex, multifaceted choices. This fluid and daunting environment means that experienced, trusted advisors are needed more than ever.

What is the role of an Executive Advisor?

An Executive Advisor’s role is to provide strategic insights and recommendations to the top executives and senior management to help an organization achieve its goals and objectives. An Executive Advisor can offer perspectives on market-driven and policy-related developments and contribute to decision-making processes that enhance the organization’s operational and strategic effectiveness.

What qualities should you look for when considering an Executive Advisor?

In general, an Executive Advisor will possess deep industry knowledge, strong communication skills, strategic thinking abilities, impeccable ethical principles, and the ability to provide balanced and objective guidance while gaining the support and trust of the senior leadership team. The Advisor will assist the team in negotiating complex issues and market trends with confident and insightful perspectives and foresight.

What specific attributes must be included (but are not limited to)?

• Passion – An Executive Advisor must be passionate about the mission of the organization and about working side-by-side with the CEO and the senior management team to achieve the organization’s short- and long-term goals. The organization’s mission must align with the personal interests and experiences of the Executive Advisor. The most successful advisors are those excited about solving new challenges and eagerly approaching new opportunities.
• Trust and Confidentiality—An Executive Advisor must build trust with the CEO and senior management team by maintaining confidentiality and acting with integrity. These attributes are non-negotiable and essential to building a strong working relationship. Executive Advisors must uphold high ethical standards, which include maintaining confidentiality as a core value.
• Communication Skills – An Executive Advisor must exhibit excellent verbal and written communication abilities to clearly articulate ideas, present complex information, and effectively engage with executives at all levels. Communicating thoughts and ideas in a way others can understand is vital to success. The Advisor must also have a strong ability to listen and learn. Being an attentive listener will provide insight into the team’s thought processes or direction – which ultimately helps the Executive Advisor guide the team toward achieving their goals.
• Industry Knowledge – An Executive Advisor’s in-depth understanding of the industry, gained through experience and contacts, is a critical asset. This knowledge can be passed on to the CEO and the management team, enhancing their strategic decision-making. The Advisor’s specific expertise or skill sets related to the organization’s needs make them valuable to the team.
• Strategic Vision – An Executive Advisor, to add value, must have a strong ability to analyze situations comprehensively, identify key trends, identify obstacles, and develop and/or modify the long-term strategic plans of the organization. As an unbiased, independent observer, an Executive Advisor with broad experience and knowledge can provide an impartial opinion regarding the “big picture” and inform if the organization’s Strategic Plan is on track – or needs a course correction.

How do you assess whether an Executive Advisor is a good fit for your organization?

To ensure the Executive Advisor fits your needs, in addition to possessing the necessary professional skills, they should also have the following essential personal characteristics –

• Someone you can openly communicate with, and will that person also be an active listener?
• Is it someone you can trust and be open and candid with?
• Is the Advisor an out-of-the-box thinker and a go-getter – eager to tackle new and complex issues?
• Does the Advisor have extensive work experience and contacts in your organization’s business and policy space?
• Does the Advisor have outstanding people skills, enjoy collaboration with colleagues, and is adept at fostering a teamwork culture, promoting open communication to achieve shared goals, and ensuring organizational alignment?
• Does the Advisor have an impeccable ethical and moral compass?

An Executive Advisor as a form of insurance –

In today’s world, the role of a CEO is increasingly demanding and time-consuming. As the ‘face’ of the organization, the CEO must be present in numerous venues. While CEOs possess top-notch talents and expertise to run the organization, adding an Executive Advisor can provide a much-needed unbiased perspective, relieving some of the CEO’s many responsibilities and ensuring they feel supported in their role.

In today’s ever-changing and precarious business environment, having an Executive Advisor isn’t just a luxury. It’s an insurance policy. Choosing the right Executive Advisor is a prudent investment that can yield significant returns, providing CEOs with the reassurance and confidence they need to navigate the complexities of the business world.

An Executive Advisor can be a cost-effective asset to a busy CEO. By contrast, not utilizing an Executive Advisor or selecting the wrong one can be extremely costly. This article aims to encourage CEOs and their organizations to consider the use of an outside-trusted Executive Advisor. It’s a strategic investment that can help reach organizational goals and objectives, and it’s a prudent decision to be cautious about the potential costs of not tapping into this valuable and cost-effective resource.

**Tom Hammer is an Agricultural & Trade Policy Association senior operating executive with several decades of experience in the national and global agricultural and trade policy arena. He has extensive knowledge of working with government and the private sector and expertise and broad knowledge of maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks during this era of unprecedented growth in the U.S. oilseed industry. Tom has been involved in every major farm bill and significant U.S. bilateral, regional, and multilateral free trade negotiation since the 1970’s. He has a vast network of contacts within the private and public sectors – nationally and internationally. Tom is a highly sought-after subject matter expert and speaker on the global oilseed sector, the state of the U.S. oilseed processing industry, and agricultural policy, managing trade barriers and international trade irritants to both international and domestic audiences. Tom has served in various leadership roles for over thirty-five years, including Chief Executive Officer of national trade associations representing farmers, ranchers, food and beverage manufacturers, and agricultural processors and exporters.

**Mike Portegello is a retired Partner Ernst & Young