The Hardest Call I Made As CEO — And the Rules It Built

Hosted by Judit Petho

Mon, Aug 10, 2026

3:00 PM UTC (30 minutes)

Virtual (Zoom)

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Decisions Under Pressure: A 4-Part Masterclass for Senior Leaders
Judit Petho
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What you'll learn

Choose your battles well

Exercising decision making prowess against conflicting interests and irreconcilable agendas starts with prioritising

Make peace with "no good options"

Even the top boss can't change certain circumstances, stakeholder interest, or the weather. Optimal outcome is relative.

Embrace the fallout

Understand how if everyone is happy with the decision that's a warning sign of sub-optimal compromise.

Why this topic matters

I'll share the circumstances of a critical decision I made in one of my CEO stints that I still think about because it flipped the script on how I handle tough calls. The context, others' agendas, the no-good-options warning signs - all matter. Learn how to choose your battles and navigate tricky leadership situations to get results while staying true to your values.

You'll learn from

Judit Petho

4xCEO, ex-global COO, Strategic Advisor (SMEs, startups, PE-backed)

I've sat in the chair, as a serial CEO and ex-Global COO of RSM, across international markets — and I know what it actually feels like when the pressure is real and the path isn't obvious. That's what I bring to the CEOs, founders, and senior leaders I work with as a strategic advisor, board advisor, and executive coach: a genuine partner who has lived the decisions they're facing, not just studied them.

I've led organisations from $3.8bn global giants to SMEs and startups — across professional services (audit, legal), insurance, FemTech; advised food & beverage, wellness and tech startups. I've built businesses from scratch, turned them around, taken them through exit, and navigated economic upheaval at scale.

Previously at

CMS
HEC Paris
RSM US LLP
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