When Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak mentors aspiring business leaders, he starts with a reality check. While executives always feel ready for the next role, he said at Fortune’s 2025 COO Summit, “the reality is, once you’re in that seat, dramatically different.”
Bandrowczak, who became CEO in 2023 following the sudden death of predecessor John Visentin, had spent five years as Xerox’s COO. He was a seasoned operator, former CIO, and had sat in countless board and committee meetings. But when the top job became his, he realized the true nuance and intensity of the CEO role.
