Many of the searches that we have run in the region tend to follow the same pattern. Two or three credible people at final stage. All of them have done impressive things. All of them interview well. And a board that has to choose between them, largely on the strength of what they have already done somewhere else.

Despite receiving glowing praise for a half time tee talk earlier in the competition, confidence in leadership is rarely built through speeches alone. It is built in extreme moments of pressure, when the situation changes, the plan is tested, and people look to the leader for clarity. The strongest teams build an environment where it is safe to fail, competition becomes co-creation, and people operate with greater resilience.