Chief Executive Officer

Position: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Tier: Tier 1 – C-Suite Executive

Reports to: B Lab Board Chief People & Operations Officer (CPOO), Chief Markets Officer (CMO), Chief Standards Officer (CSO), Chief Impact & Movement Officer (CIMO), Chief Technology & Data Officer (CTDO), including oversight of network, enablement and mediation functions

The CEO leads B Lab as the primary architect of its unified future – translating Board direction into a clear vision and coherent operating model, and stewarding the mission across the global network. This role goes beyond conventional CEO functions by explicitly championing network health as a strategic priority – ensuring the CEO Office dedicates appropriate attention to fostering collaboration across B Lab’s complex structure. As B Lab’s principal external voice, the CEO also represents the organisation on the global stage, building credibility with business leaders, funders, policy makers and multilaterals. The CEO holds ultimate accountability for vision, strategy, culture, and the ongoing network integration, creating the conditions for the organization to deliver B Lab’s Theory of Change and contribute to economic transformation.

B Lab is undergoing two simultaneous transformations: the evolution of its standards and assurance model, and the unification of its network into one global organisation. The CEO must navigate this complexity while energising leaders and teams. This role requires bringing calm and confidence while maintaining momentum on critical strategic initiatives and building a vision for the future. The CEO must ensure that integration enhances rather than constrains B Lab’s ability to drive systems change, building trust that the new unified structure will strengthen mission and impact. Leading through this transformation demands exceptional emotional intelligence, strategic clarity, and the ability to hold space for both organizational change and excitement about the future.

The CEO embodies B Lab’s Theory of Change by orchestrating how the organization drives behavior change in business, grows a movement and scales the cultural and structural change needed to transform the economic system. As the primary steward of the mission, the CEO ensures that every portfolio – from standards to technology, from markets to movement building – works in concert to create an economy that works for all people and the planet. This role must articulate and evolve B Lab’s vision in ways that inspire diverse stakeholders while maintaining operational discipline. The CEO demonstrates that organizational effectiveness and impact are mutually reinforcing dynamics. Through strategic leadership and cultural stewardship, the CEO helps B Lab model the interdependence and care it seeks to create in the world.

Core Functions & Key Responsibilities

Vision, Strategy & Board Interface • Develop and articulate a compelling vision for B Lab’s role in transforming the global economy • Ensure network development strategies reflect both mission ambition and operational reality • As the only direct report to the Board, provide the primary interface between governance and the executive, managing relationships with transparency and mutual accountability • Translate Board direction into executable strategies while providing honest counsel on organizational capabilities and constraints • Ensure strategic coherence across all portfolios, balancing immediate priorities with long-term transformation goals • Sponsor an organization decision-rights and escalation charter (who decides what, where, and how) to reduce ambiguity and enable speed across portfolios and regions • Build Board confidence in the executive team’s ability to deliver on ambitious objectives

Conflict Resolution & Mediation Systems • Lead the overarching market development and portfolio management strategy including KPIs that drive decisions about market entry, expansion, segmentation, and prioritization – balancing fairness (support for emerging markets) with performance and opportunity • Build market intelligence capabilities that inform both regional and global strategies • Assess geopolitical, economic, and regulatory contexts to identify opportunities and risks • Shape geographic resource allocation based on market readiness, maturity, impact potential and strategic priorities 

External Representation & Strategic Partnerships • Serve as B Lab’s primary spokesperson, articulating the vision for stakeholder capitalism and evolving business to benefit people and the planet • Build relationships with peer CEOs, positioning B Lab as a trusted partner in business and economic transformation • Cultivate relationships with major funders and strategic partners • Represent B Lab at international forums, building the organization’s global profile and credibility • Balance external visibility with internal presence, ensuring the network feels connected to leadership

Organizational Culture, Coherence & Integration

• Champion cultural transformation that preserves B Lab’s essence and values while enabling new ways of working • Ensure resource allocation principles (with the CPOO/CFO/ CMO) are transparent and aligned to strategy, balancing performance, potential, and equity across markets • Model the behaviors and mindsets required for successful integration across entities and geographies • Foster a culture of interdependence and accountability where unified direction and distributed leadership reinforce and respect each other

Network Enablement & Collaborative Leadership

• Champion network health as a strategic priority, ensuring the CEO Office dedicates appropriate resources and attention to fostering collaboration • Direct the CEO Office to establish and maintain mechanisms for cross-network cooperation, including clear decision-making authorities and protocols • Personally engage in critical network moments – major conflicts, strategic pivots, or celebration of collective wins • Oversee the CEO Office’s role in convening cross-functional leadership groups, providing strategic direction while the team handles operational coordination 7

Organizational Learning & Adaption

• Champion learning as a core organizational capability and structures for capturing and sharing insights across the global network • Encourage experimentation and innovation within enabling constraints • Ensure feedback loops are embedded to connect strategy, implementation, and adaptation • Ensure the organization maintains both stability and agility during transformation • Model intellectual humility and curiosity in the face of complex challenges

Successful Profile

The successful CEO will be experienced as a grounded, human leader who makes B Lab’s ambition feel achievable. They will be trusted as someone who can engage credibly with external stakeholders while remaining genuinely connected to teams throughout the network. Colleagues will describe them as calm in complexity, clear in communication, and courageous in decision-making – someone who provides stability during transformation without sacrificing boldness of vision. Board members will see them as a strategic thought partner who balances ambition with pragmatism. Regional leaders will experience them as an enabler who provides clarity and removes barriers while respecting local culture and expertise. External stakeholders will recognize them as a systems thinker who understands both the urgency of change and the patience required for transformation. Under their leadership, B Lab will feel both professionally sophisticated and authentically mission-driven.