Keynote: The Future of Leadership Pipelines

Event Overview

Over the past several years, organizations have faced profound technological, global, sociodemographic, and economic disruptions that are redefining the future of work. These forces have reshaped the psychological contract between employees and employers, reorganized work around human–technology collaboration, and altered organizational design. HR leaders are now on the front lines, guiding transformation initiatives and redefining operating models and capabilities to meet these evolving demands.

One critical area under pressure is leadership succession. The traditional “black box” approach, where decisions about promotions and leadership advancement are made without transparency, has become a liability, fueling frustration, disengagement, and talent flight. As calls for accountability and fairness grow louder, organizations must replace opacity with clear, equitable systems that demystify the path to leadership at every level.

Join Cornell faculty expert Dr. Bradford Bell and Penelope Sur, Vice President of Global Talent at Eastman, as they explore cutting‑edge frameworks for effective, transparent succession planning. They will draw on new research and real‑world examples to show how competency assessments, high‑potential identification, and strategic talent mapping can transform leadership pipelines into visible career pathways that inspire and retain top talent, while positioning HR as a key driver of organizational resilience in the future of work.

Cornell partners with Eastman to provide Executive Education as well as other research-based learning solutions to drive impact within their organization.

What You'll Learn

How work is changing, with insights from the CAHRS Future of Work report on AI, skills-based job design, and shifting employee-employer relationships
Why traditional “black box” succession planning leads to disengagement and turnover, and how transparency can turn that around
Tools for spotting future leaders through competency assessments, high-potential identification, and talent mapping
How to design clear, fair advancement pathways that keep employees motivated and engaged
The role HR can play in leading transformation as organizations adapt to rapid technological and demographic shifts

Speakers

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Bradford Bell

Director, Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS)

Cornell ILR School

William J. Conaty Professor of Strategic Human Resources and Director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS)

Bradford S. Bell is the William J. Conaty Professor Strategic Human Resources and Director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) in the ILR School at Cornell University. He received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland at College Park and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University.

Dr. Bell’s research interests include training and development, team development and effectiveness, and virtual work. His research has appeared in a number of journals, including Academy of Management Review, Human Resource Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Personnel Psychology. In addition, Dr. Bell has published numerous chapters that have appeared in edited research volumes.

Dr. Bell is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and he is a former editor of Personnel Psychology.

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Penelope Sur

Vice President, Global Talent

Eastman

Penelope Sur is a seasoned human resources executive with expertise in aligning talent strategies with business objectives to enhance organizational effectiveness. Sur currently holds the position of Global Vice President of Talent at Eastman, where she has been pivotal in overseeing performance, learning and development, inclusion, and diversity since November 2023. She also oversees talent acquisition.

Before joining Eastman, Sur served as the Vice President of Talent at DICK’S Sporting Goods, where she managed talent functions for a workforce of approximately 50,000 employees. Her extensive career includes significant roles at Centric Brands and experience as a Senior Human Resources Consultant. Sur spent over a decade at L’Oréal, where she held multiple leadership roles, including Director of Training and Development and Assistant Vice President of Talent Development & Learning Operations across the Americas. Her accomplishments include creating sustainable succession planning processes and establishing a Learning Center of Excellence.

Sur holds a Master’s degree in Public Service, Bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Foreign Languages from the University of Arkansas, and a law degree from France. She also holds a leadership certificate from Cornell and is a certified executive coach by the International Coaching Federation. In addition, Sur is a certified trainer by Mind Gym, HOGAN, MBTI, and Korn Ferry.

Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, Sur lives in Kingsport, TN. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling the world, reflecting her passion for cultural exploration and global perspectives.

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