Enter the Boardroom with Nurole 164. Adam Warby: Authority in the boardroom: how it's earned, lost and rebuilt
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Mar 4, 2026 Adam Warby, Chair of Ocado Group and CEO Emeritus of Avanade, is a seasoned tech-led services leader. He discusses stepping in after founders, CEO succession and the pitfalls of stringing candidates along. He recounts being removed from a board, debates where a chair’s authority really comes from, and explains what success should look like for Ocado’s retail and platform businesses.
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When Internal Succession Gets Strung Along
- Warby began CEO succession early but an internal candidate he backed lost board support.
- The process dragged on too long and should have been stopped earlier once the board's view emerged.
Succession Hinges On Humility Not Just Competence
- Trust in succession depends more on intimacy and low self-orientation than raw credibility.
- Warby judged his internal candidate credible but lacking humility and personal interaction needed for leadership.
Voted Off As Chair During Shareholder Battle
- SoftwareOne's founding shareholders led a campaign to take the company private and removed the board at an AGM.
- Warby chaired through a six-month defense, transaction committee and was ultimately voted off as chair.
