Corporate mobility and executive succession face language and cultural barriers

Internal mobility and executive succession planning face significant hurdles in corporate environments, particularly regarding language skills and cultural adaptation. In Brazil and Portugal, moving employees between roles requires more than just talent; it demands emotional preparation, systemic reading, and organizational support to ensure successful transitions.

In Portugal, mobility is often linked to logical progression and proven reliability within a known structure. In contrast, mobility in Brazil tends to be more relational and adaptive, requiring employees to rebuild influence and connections in new departments.

Furthermore, a lack of English fluency is becoming a major barrier to executive succession. While 90% of organizations recognize the strategic importance of succession plans, only 37% make substantial financial investments in them. The inability of internal candidates to communicate effectively in English for global negotiations can lead to costly external recruitment, which may cost two to three times an executive's annual salary. To mitigate this, companies are increasingly prioritizing international mobility and internal acceleration to prepare leaders for global ecosystems.