Transformative Leadership the Path to 2035

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Transformation must be led, not delegated. Let’s understand why.

Executive leaders today face a complex and rapidly evolving set of challenges, shaped by technological disruption, global instability, shifting workforce dynamics, and rising stakeholder expectations.

Businesses are already undergoing significant transformation, and the pace of change is set to accelerate further in the years ahead. Leaders must simultaneously drive internal business initiatives such as digital innovation, legacy systems management, and reskilling their workforce to remain competitive. At the same time, external conditions such as inflation, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical uncertainty demand greater resilience, foresight, and adaptability at the top.

“After two decades of recruiting executives, one truth stands out: transformation succeeds only when it’s championed at the top. Technology can accelerate change, but it’s leadership that sets the vision, aligns the culture, and ensures people are ready to move forward,” shares Stephen Mill, President Executive Search at Robert Half Canada.

Need for change: why large businesses face unique challenges

Robert Half’s Towards the C-Suite 2035 survey of 100 Canadian executive leaders, revealed that leaders believe the adoption of digital technologies requiring new skills in short supply will be their biggest challenge in the next 10 years. This is their number one concern, following by data privacy and cyber security in a digital world, and economic conditions, including inflationary pressures.

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Large businesses with operating models that pre-date the digital revolution are becoming clearer about digital transformation. Many have developed modern finance, marketing and production tools, for example. But the process is far easier for new and SME businesses because of their operations being ‘born digital’. So how should leaders in large businesses prepare for these challenges? Large business leaders surveyed in our Robert Half Boardroom Navigator report, were asked to rank how they are preparing, here are the results:

Develop workforce skills for the future

Enhance cyber security frameworks

Adopt advanced analytics for decision-making

Strengthen succession planning

Adopt agile business practices

These priorities reflect a clear understanding among large business leaders: digital transformation cannot succeed without parallel efforts to evolve the workforce and leadership mindset. The emphasis on workforce development as the top-ranked strategy signals that people, not just platforms, will determine whether transformation efforts succeed.

“For companies that weren’t born digital, transformation takes more than new tools. It takes leadership that’s willing to rethink how the business works. The most successful leaders focus on modernizing systems without disrupting operations. They also build digital skills across the workforce and create a culture that can adapt quickly to meet business needs. Technology is important, but people and mindset make the difference,” emphasizes Stephen.

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Digital transformation means nothing without workforce transformation

Digital transformation processes have always been part of a future-oriented corporate strategy. Automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are also not new and have been shaping business operations for decades. As we look ahead to the C-Suite of 2035, it’s essential to recognize the interdependence between technological advancement and leadership development. A successful transformation strategy must balance investment in digital tools with the cultivation of leadership capabilities. Overemphasizing technology can lead to decisions that prioritize systems over strategy, while underinvesting in leadership can hinder innovation and reduce competitiveness.

Transformative leadership

The future of work requires leadership that can guide transformation across every layer of the business. Insights from Robert Half’s Towards the C-Suite 2035 survey of Canadian executives show that roles like Chief AI Officer, Chief Technology Transformation Officer, and Chief Global Strategy Officer are expected to become significantly more important by 2035. These emerging positions reflect a growing need for leaders who can integrate technology with strategy, ensuring that innovation is not just adopted but effectively led.

This aligns with earlier findings that digital transformation means little without workforce transformation. Survey results also revealed that Canadian leadership teams are prioritizing experience in areas such as regulatory compliance, economic resilience, and organizational restructuring for skills that are essential for navigating change.

The path to 2035 will be defined by how well leaders can integrate technology, strategy, and human capability. Transformation is no longer a project, it’s a strategy. As Canadian businesses prepare for the future, the ability to lead through change will be the defining factor of success. To explore how Robert Half can support your leadership and workforce transformation goals, we invite you to connect with our team and start the conversation.

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