The question many boards and CEOs are quietly wrestling with right now is simple:

What does “C-Suite ready” actually mean in 2026?

For years, the primary criteria were clear: enterprise judgment, capital allocation discipline, and the ability to lead cross-functionally. That playbook still guides many VC- and PE-backed companies.

But a growing number of investors and operators argue something has shifted.

Roughly 25–35% of the skill profile has changed in just the past three years. As technology systems accelerate and AI reshapes execution, many believe today’s CxOs must also be active practitioners — leaders who understand the tools shaping the business because they use them. Without that proximity, it becomes difficult to assess risk accurately, evaluate ROI probabilities, recognize unbounded downside, or push teams toward what is actually possible.

This session will explore:

• Where the traditional CxO playbook still applies — and where it no longer does.
• The case for practitioner-level fluency at the executive level.
• The tools senior leaders must build early: enterprise exposure, board credibility, sponsorship, and cross-functional trust.
• What effective networking and relationship-building actually looks like when positioning for your next CxO seat.
• The derailers that stall advancement — and the ones that quietly cost leaders their role after they reach the top.

For current VPs and SVPs operating inside $10M, $25M, and $100M+ ARR companies — whether VC- or PE-backed — this is a candid look at what must be built long before the title changes, and how to shape conversations with CEOs and boards around enterprise value, not ambition.

For sitting C-Suite leaders, it’s an opportunity to pressure-test your own role against shifting expectations.

For board members, it’s a forum to examine whether executive selection criteria need to expand without increasing risk.

This gathering is designed for senior operators with meaningful scope — enterprise influence, P&L responsibility, board visibility, or capital oversight. It is not intended for early-stage founders, managers, or individual contributors.

If you are mentoring a high-potential executive already operating at senior scale, we encourage you to bring them as your guest.

Seats are limited. Reserve your seat now. 

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When: Thursday, April 23nd, 2026.

• Doors open at 7:30am for breakfast and coffee.
• Program at 8 - 9 am. 

Hosted by: Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI) @ 4004 Summit Blvd NE, Ste 800, Atlanta, GA 30319

Cost: Complimentary, with a $25 or greater tax-deductible donation to the CEON Foundation to support our scholarship program for alumni of the Ron Clark Academy