Senior women executives are among the most experienced, capable and underleveraged talent pools in business today. Many have already led billion-dollar businesses, transformed organizations, scaled teams, and driven measurable growth. Yet despite their readiness for larger enterprise roles, too many are left waiting for the “right” permanent opportunity to emerge.

Increasingly, interim and fractional leadership roles are changing that equation.

Rather than viewing interim work as a stopgap, many executives — and the organizations hiring them — are recognizing it as a strategic advantage: an opportunity to create immediate impact, build enterprise-level visibility, accelerate transformation, and develop future leaders in the process.

That conversation will take center stage during an upcoming Next Chapter Sessions event from the Women in Retail Leadership Circle, titled “Interim Advantage: What Women Executives and the Leaders Who Hire Them Need to Know.” The members-only virtual session will take place on May 29 at 12 p.m. ET, and will feature two accomplished leaders with firsthand expertise on both sides of the interim leadership equation:

  • Raj Shankaran, founder and chief merchandising officer of Retail S.C.A.L.E., partners with retailers and brands as a fractional executive, advises boards, and publishes insights at the intersection of retail and artificial intelligence. Prior to launching Retail S.C.A.L.E., Raj spent nearly two decades in omnichannel retail leadership roles at Walmart and Circana, managing billion-dollar merchandising P&Ls and global product portfolios.
  • Shari Rossow, North America Retail Practice, interim executive, Korn Ferry, has more than 30 years of retail experience. She is widely recognized as a retail operations and leadership expert. Throughout her career, Shari has partnered with leading retailers including Best Buy and Target, as well as department stores and boutique brands, helping organizations navigate transformation and growth.

Together, Raj and Shari will offer a candid and practical discussion designed for both executives exploring interim opportunities as well as organizations evaluating interim leadership as a business strategy. For executives, the session will address:

  • What makes a leader “placeable” in interim and fractional roles.
  • How to position experience and availability with confidence.
  • The realities of building a portfolio career.
  • How interim assignments can create visible proof of enterprise-scale impact while expanding long-term opportunities.

For organizational leaders and hiring decision-makers, the conversation will explore:

  • When interim leadership is the smarter business solution.
  • How to structure engagements for maximum effectiveness.
  • The value interim leaders bring during transformation, transition and growth periods.
  • How organizations can use interim talent to mentor and develop the next generation of women leaders already on their bench.

The Next Chapter Sessions is a members-only virtual series from the Women in Retail Leadership Circle designed to help women navigate career transitions with clarity, confidence and community. Each 90-minute session combines expert insight with peer discussion in a supportive, judgment-free environment where members can share experiences, exchange ideas, and support one another through periods of professional change and growth. Members, register here to join us. Not yet a member? Learn more about Women in Retail Leadership membership here.