The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Director of Operations / Regional VP of Operations
5-10 years at Director/VP levelSkills to master
- Broad operational leadership, P&L management for a business unit, strong cross-functional collaboration, experience managing diverse teams and complex supply chains.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a significant operational transformation programme.
- Demonstrated consistent achievement of operational KPIs and financial targets.
- Proven ability to build and develop high-performing leadership teams.
- Recognised for strategic thinking and problem-solving at an executive level.
- 2
Head of Asset Management (Large Enterprise)
7-12 years in senior asset management rolesSkills to master
- Deep expertise in all facets of asset lifecycle management, experience with global EAM system implementations, strong financial acumen for asset investments, and a track record of driving reliability and TCO improvements across a large asset base.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed an asset portfolio valued at £100M+.
- Led a major initiative to improve asset reliability or reduce TCO.
- Effectively managed a large team of asset professionals.
- Consistently delivered on asset-related CapEx and OpEx budgets.
- 3
Consulting Partner (Operations/Asset Management)
10+ years as a consulting partnerSkills to master
- Extensive experience advising multiple clients on asset management strategy, operational excellence, and large-scale transformations. Strong client relationship management, business development, and thought leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully delivered complex asset management projects for Fortune 500 clients.
- Built a significant book of business in the operations/asset management space.
- Recognised as an industry expert and thought leader.
- Proven ability to drive strategic change and deliver measurable value for clients.