5GQ Suzanne Heywood - ReOrg

Five Good Questions Podcast

Suzanne Heywood is a Managing Director of EXOR. Suzanne grew up sailing around the world on the Schooner Wavewalker (she is currently writing another book, “Wavewalker” about this experience which included getting shipwrecked in the Indian Ocean). After university she started her professional career in the UK Government at the Treasury and then went on to become a Senior Partner at the management consultancy firm McKinsey. Suzanne is also a board member of CNH Industrial and The Economist and Deputy Chairman of the Royal Opera House. She has a MA from Oxford University and PhD from Cambridge University. Suzanne is an expert in organizational design and for many years led work on this topic for McKinsey globally.

1. What are the keys to effective communications with employees during a reorg? 2. Walk us through what a successful reorg looks like. 3. What’s the 20-30-50 rule of thumb? 4. What are the biggest mistakes made during a reorg? Why do reorganisations fail? 5. If you have to let someone go, what are some creative ways to do so in a classy and humane way?