According to Spencer Stuart, 87% of CHROs today are active participants in CEO succession planning – a powerful signal that boards increasingly see HR leaders as strategic stewards of enterprise leadership. As the CHRO role expands beyond functional excellence into business transformation, culture-building and digital foresight, it is becoming a credible springboard to the CEO’s office.  At a recent India CHRO Forum session in Delhi and Mumbai, Ashish Srivastava, Managing Director of MetLife Global Capability Centre, shared his personal journey and insights on navigating the shift from CHRO to CEO. His story illustrates how calm leadership, together with a strategic mindset and continuous self-reinvention, can shape not only individual success but also a future-ready leadership pipeline.