Transformation Executive Officer Role: Risks & Protection

March 2026 Edition

March began with big snow falls but the weather has warmed of late.  I suspect winter is not yet ready to let us go.  For those like my wife who relishes her winter sports, I do hope there will be sufficient snow and ice this last month of winter.  For those like me who look forward to warmer weather, perhaps you will get a chance to sneak off for time in the sun in warmer places.

March has seen good times for Boston winter sports. The Celtics have had a very strong season and Jason Tatum has now returned to the team with a very promising opening night and follow-up with a big Celtics win in Cleveland Sunday.  The Bruins too have played fairly well winning at home losing on the road and in a Wild Card spot if the season ended today.  So perhaps as March and April unfold, this will mean playoff runs for both teams, and perhaps a deep run for the Celtics and a return to the NBA finals.

March Madness too will soon begin and to all with your brackets and betting favorites, and for those out there with alma maters in the NCAA Basketball Tournament – all best of luck! For my two tournament-eligible alma maters, this has not been a good year for the Northwestern Wildcats.  However, for my other alma mater Boston University offers real hope with Joe Jones’ overachieving squad.  Sunday night, BU’s Chance Gladden hit a buzzer beater. a 40-foot bomb, to overcome top ranked Navy 73-72.  Navy was a huge favorite, the Midshipmen having beaten BU twice this season and riding a 14-game winning streak into this game played in Annapolis.  Now, BU gets to play Lehigh for the Patriot League championship tomorrow night (3/11/26) in Bethlehem, PA.  If the Terriers win,  it would mark BU’s first invitation to the NCAA Tournament – March Madness - since 2020.  Here’s hoping – Go Terriers!

As for Newsletter items, last Friday, CEOWORLD magazine published an article of mine on Chief Transformation Officers – risks and protections.  Further into this March Newsletter, items #3 and #4 are two older articles of mine, both published in IVYEXEC career advancement website, #3 published in 2022 on leveraging  your strengths in negotiating for key terms in executive retention packages, #4 published in 2024 on getting executive severance even when you quit your position.  Item #5 is a special offer also on executive retention. As always, I hope some of these items might be of interest and benefit…  and my best wishes to all for the rest of March!

1.       Transformation Executive Officer Role:  Risks & Protections

If you are in the market for or are considering  a job offer to be a Chief Transformation Officer or Chief Innovation Officer, my article published last Friday (March 6), may be of benefit as I discuss key risks posed to you by those positions and also important protections and other terms to seek in your negotiations. Read the Article Here

2.       Work with CEOs, C-Suite and Senior Executives, exclusively.

Robert Adelson is an attorney specialized in the representation of CEOs, C-level and senior executives. He no longer represents companies or employers.  Learn about Robert Adelson’s work with CEOs, C-level and senior executives to advise on and improve job offers, employment contracts, stock, RSUs, options, bonuses and other executive compensation matters, plus advice and aid on issues of wrongful termination, severance, exit terms, retention, change of control, other executive issues and more … More Details Here

3.      Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations

Do you have now, or Do you soon expect an attractive job offer to leave your CEO or senior executive position?  Is your company “in play”?  Are you nearing a funding milestone?  Are there other reasons why your company has dependence on you and strong desire for you not to leave now.  My article, published in 2022 by IVY EXEC career advancement website, discusses the negotiation and terms for retention agreements in those and other circumstances for the executive seeking to realize benefit from the company’s retention need when such opportunities are presented. Read the Article Here

4.       Getting Executive Severance when you Choose to Quit

Are you thinking of quitting your current executive position, but don’t want to leave empty-handed? My article published in Jan. 2024  by IVYEXEC career advancement website, speaks to senior executives who, for reasons beyond their control, want to quit your current position and then strategies how to still seek appropriate executive severance compensation in connection with your separation. Read the Article Here

5.       3/2026 Offer:  Good until March 24th

This 2-week value-packed offer, is as a way to get introduced to my law work: an Executive Employment Retention Law Diagnostic – this offer is good through 3/24/26. More Details Here

It’s always a pleasure to get back in touch with you and other clients, friends, and colleagues.  I hope the links and information provided will be useful to you and that there will be an opportunity for me to work with you on legal matters in the near future.

Let’s keep in touch!

Best regards,
Rob
Robert Adelson

*Adelson & Associates, LLCExecutive Employment Attorney

101 Federal Street, 19th Floor, Boston, MA 02110

(617) 204-5601 Law Firm

(617) 204-5602 Direct

(617) 204-5604 Fax

Email :  rob@attorneyadelson.com

Website: www.executiveemploymentattorney.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-adelson-b8a1557/

Blog:  https://robadelson.wordpress.com/

X:  @AttorneyAdelson

Note on Adelson & Associates, LLC:* Robert A. Adelson is the Principal of Adelson & Associates, LLC.  For fifteen (15) years, from October 2004 through December 2019, Robert Adelson practiced law and referred legal work to associates of his, trusted and experienced colleagues, as a partner of Engel & Schultz, LLP.  In December 2019, the lead partners of the firm announced they would go into semi-retirement, go their separate ways, and the office lease would expire in January 2020.  In response, Robert Adelson formed Adelson & Associates, LLC in December 2019 and commenced the new firm’s operations on January 1, 2020, with the new firm taking over, on that date and going forward, all current Robert Adelson clients, matters and operations, as well as all referral of legal work to associates of Robert Adelson.  Since 1/1/2020, the firm’s offices have been and remain at 101 Federal Street, 19^th Floor, across the street from the pre-2020 offices at One Federal Street, 21^st Floor, in Boston’s Financial District.

Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations

On October 7, 2022, the executive career advancement website IvyExec published an article I wrote on “Executive Retention Packages – Terms and Negotiations.”

This new article is designed for CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, and in other areas of the economy.  This article  might also be of benefit to many directors and mid-level executives.  In each case, this article is directed to executives being recruited and who have now or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet who, at the same time, are also critical to their current company.  It is in that circumstance this article suggests how your current company might provide a significant retention package for you to stay or to at least work with them to delay the full impact of your complete departure.

This frequently occurs when the company is “in play”. However, besides this change of control situation, my article discusses a number of other circumstances where executive retention negotiations occur, including where:

• The company is nearing a critical milestone, necessary for a funding round,
• The company is planning its IPO and needs an executive lockup,
• The executive has close relationships with key accounts and the company fears a significant loss of business,
• The executive has close relationships with key management and performers in the company and fears a significant attrition,
• The executive as an inventor, innovator and technologist has a critical role in product creation, maintenance or development, or
• The executive has achieved a level of notoriety such that his or her loss could have a negative impact on perception of the company within the customer or business community where the company operates.

My article also discusses how to raise the issue of executive retention, how to negotiate and frame the executive retention package as a mutually beneficial “win-win” for the executive and the company, and finally the key terms to seek in your executive retention agreement.

To see my full IvyExec career advancement website article, go to LINK: https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/2022/executive-retention-packages-terms-and-negotiations/

Or on my website at https://www.executiveemploymentattorney.com/executive-retention-packages-terms-and-negotiations/

IvyExec hosts articles and webinars from experts in the career, leadership, and business spaces who wish to share their knowledge with our audience. In April 2021, I was invited to write for IvyExec since it seeks original content on the topics of career development, leadership, and business strategy as it applies to senior-level and C-Suite professionals. IvyExec blog posts and webinars are shared with its community of more than 2 million members on its website, in its newsletter, and on its social media channels. https://www.ivyexec.com/career-advice/write-for-us/

IvyExec claims a “Community of 2.5M+ Leaders”.

See also – https://www.ivyexec.com/

It is my hope that this article will be helpful to CEOs, CMOs, CSOs, CTOs and other C-suite and senior executives in technology and life sciences, who are being recruited and have now, or anticipate soon receiving, an attractive offer to move on, yet are also critical to their current company, where the current company might provide a significant retention package for the executive to stay. If you or any colleague of yours has a need in this area, please do reach out to me at rob@attorneyadelson.com.