From Potential to Performance: Preparing Tomorrow’s C-Suite

At our ChapmanCG HR Leaders Roundtable in London, titled From Potential to Performance: Preparing Tomorrow’s C-Suite, senior people leaders gathered to hear how Lloyds Banking Group is transforming itself into a high-performing, tech-enabled, and purpose-led organisation.

The session provided deep insights into how the UK’s largest retail bank has reimagined talent strategy, cultural change, and leadership capability—at scale. From redesigning the EVP to embedding AI and unlocking talent density, the discussion surfaced rich learnings on what it truly takes to prepare for the next generation of leadership.

Below are the key themes and reflections from the conversation.

Repositioning the Organisation and Rebuilding the EVP

Transformation at Lloyds is being driven through three deliberate lenses: transforming the business, transforming the people proposition, and transforming the People & Places (PMP) function itself.
The team has radically refreshed its EVP under the banner of “Faster Forward,” anchored in five newly defined values:

• People First
• Bold
• Inclusive
• Sustainable
• Trusted

To support this, a significant effort has gone into modernising the company’s external image—right down to reorienting its iconic horse logo to look like it’s moving forward.

At the same time, a bold and intentional culture shift is underway, moving from “civil service meets commercial” to a high-performance environment that reflects the ambition of a modern fintech business.

Building High Performance and Talent Density

The PMP function has invested heavily in rethinking how talent is assessed, deployed, and developed. A bespoke framework was built in-house to guide performance, potential, and succession planning, anchored in four dimensions:

• Skills
• Core Experiences
• Behaviours (4Cs)
• Potential

The assessment model integrates psychometrics, 360-degree feedback, external benchmarks, and leadership narratives to inform decision-making at the executive level. Over 300 leaders have already gone through the process, with plans underway to scale this further through a more self-service approach for the wider organisation.

What is different is the deliberate use of data with care. Every leader receives their results, the process is highly personalised, and there’s a clear emphasis on psychological safety, transparency, and co-creation.

AI as a Workforce Enabler, Not Just a Technology Play

AI is no longer viewed as a future disruptor—it is an active enabler across the business. Lloyds is now assessing every role to determine what work should be done by a human, an AI agent, or a contingent worker.

Mandatory “TQ” (technology quotient) training has been introduced across the HR function, alongside strategic partnerships with organisations like Cambridge Spark to build AI capability across senior leadership.

The mindset is clear: the future workforce will be a blend—and if HR doesn’t lead that conversation, it risks being left behind.

Creating New Infrastructure and Scaling Delivery

A critical enabler of change has been the creation of a 4,000-person capability hub in Hyderabad. Built from the ground up in just two years, the hub focuses on tech, data and digital delivery—and has allowed Lloyds to reduce its reliance on expensive onshore contractors while building long-term capability.

This shift not only drives cost efficiency but also signals a more sustainable and scalable approach to delivering transformation at pace.

Personalised Flexibility and Inclusion

Culture change has also been supported by a series of tangible shifts in how work happens. “Flex Summer” is one example—offering employees the option to work remotely for six weeks without needing to come into an office. Lloyds also maintains one of the most flexible hybrid models in the market, with just two days per week mandated office presence.

Inclusion, social mobility and diversity have all been central to this transformation. The organisation has invested in acceleration programmes for underrepresented groups, anonymised CVs for executive search, and development strategies that prioritise equity of opportunity.

From Data to Dialogue: Talent as a Strategic Engine

A consistent message throughout the session was that talent data alone is not enough—it must spark action and support strategic decisions. Talent and performance management conversations have been separated, with a greater focus on future potential and high-impact moves rather than simply rewarding historical performance.

Succession planning is now more rigorous, with three formal reviews a year, and clear expectations for how leaders engage with the data and act on development plans.

The internal talent marketplace is becoming more dynamic—with lateral moves, stretch opportunities, and tailored coaching all part of the mix.

Leaders are expected to “lift the bar” with every hire, and the organisation is investing to retain and reward those who are making a disproportionate impact.

Looking Ahead

Lloyds’ journey is far from over. With the next strategic horizon already in sight (2027–2030), the focus will increasingly be on AI enablement, customer reach, and international scalability. The goal: not just to be a bank with great tech, but a fintech that does banking—powered by purpose, people, and performance.