While serving as chief human resources officer (CHRO) might be looked down upon compared to chief operating officer (COO) or chief marketing officer (CMO), a leadership HR role can be a great way to prepare for the top position at a firm.
"We confirmed that CEOs are well aware of the importance of talent, rating finding the best human capital as a top challenge, but that business leaders without an HR background can be reluctant to take the CHRO role, because of their negative perception of HR, their fear that the role won’t have an impact, and their concerns about lacking necessary functional knowledge,” HBR reports.
But, many CEOs, including Nexon’s Owen Mahoney, said casting HR in that negative light is a mistake. Japanese-based Nexon is a global player in the online gaming space. "Businesses grow or die based on the quality of their people, so the human resource executive role is arguably the most strategic in the company," Mahoney said. "If I weren’t the CEO now, I’d probably want to be the CHRO."