when talent makes the difference

At Parangon Partners we have recently presented the Study on “How AI is changing company leadership: from the Board of Directors to the Management Committee”, carried out with José Ramón Pin, professor at IESE. In it we collect the vision of more than two thousand senior managers from leading companies in Spain on the real impact of artificial intelligence on their teams, decisions and on the new type of talent they need to incorporate.

One of the main conclusions is clear: the selection processes have changed. AI has transformed tasks, accelerated screenings and provided new metrics. But, paradoxically, when selecting senior profiles specialized in AI, human judgment is more important than ever.

The entry into force of the EU Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Act) in 2024, which is mandatory, marks a differential pattern compared to the rapid advance in the US and underlines the critical need for senior profiles. These leaders are key to navigating the new regulatory framework and ensuring that the adoption of AI is carried out with full guarantees.

In this regulated scenario, expert judgment becomes even more valuable. Its ability to identify reputational, social or regulatory risks transcends mere operational efficiency. Likewise, knowledge in AI and maturity are crucial to maintain an effective dialogue with different stakeholders.

The entry into force of the EU Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Act) in 2024, which is mandatory, reinforces the need for senior profiles capable of translating the standard into opportunity. In this regulated environment, expert judgment is key to align compliance and dialogue with stakeholders, as well as to identify reputational, social or regulatory risks, transcending mere operational efficiency.

1. The paradox of the algorithm: technology yes, but with human criteria

Our study reveals that only 19% of HR managers currently use AI for predictive purposes to identify talent. Instead, you54% admit that the biggest threat is that AI discards valid profiles based on poorly calibrated criteria.

The gap between technological adoption and strategic maturity is palpable. Poorly calibrated algorithms can multiply early candidate turnover, according to an MIT study. Additionally, while many recruiters believe that AI reduces bias, 51% of candidates report having suffered algorithmic discrimination.

The root of these imbalances lies in the very nature of AI: trained on historical data, it omits crucial facets of emotional intelligence. It is a powerful assistant, but limited as an autonomous decision-maker, especially with respect to future competencies.

Therefore, The intervention of expert human judgment, especially at a senior level, becomes essential. Their role is to strategically direct AI, estimate the skills of tomorrow and guide analytics towards workforce reskilling.

Searching for senior AI profiles requires a craftsmanship approach. When we were looking for a Head of HR Analytics and Data Management for a multinational, it was not enough to evaluate technical knowledge. It was imperative to identify someone who understood the nuances of human decision-making, anticipated talent moves, and analyzed cultural impact.

The final paradox is clear: the more sophisticated the technology, the more vital human judgment becomes.

2. AI and communication: the new language of leadership

For a large financial organization we are looking for a digital transformation manager with a mission: to identify how technology can revolutionize communication, from sponsorships to reputation management.

60% of the profile had to come from the world of communication; 40%, from technology. But the real value lay in its ability to anticipate how AI would redefine the dialogue with segmented audiences and elevate the influence of the corporate narrative.

Here, the process was almost surgical. These questions are not answered by an algorithm, but by deep conversation and cross-referencing.

This example illustrates the difference between knowledge and wisdom. AI processes massive data, but lacks the “waist” to consider human and strategic implications. Instead, an experienced leader can use AI to process simulated experiences, but and apply his “old man wisdom” to contextualizefilter noise and translate information into adaptive decisions.

Thus, it is not a question of a dilemma between AI capacity and human experience, but of recognizing their fundamental interdependence.

3. Pioneers are wanted, not technocrats

Selecting leaders of this new era requires detecting pioneers: professionals who translate the technical into business language, master data but do not forget emotion, and put purpose before process.

A revealing case was the incorporation of an independent director expert in AI to the Board of a multinational in the health sector. His experience in digitalization projects in regulated environments has been key to aligning technological innovation with governance and corporate values.

This new type of senior profile is not easily found. And that is why it is vital that management and HR committees clearly define the vision and impact they hope to generate.

While the technologist profile defines the “what” and the entrepreneur drives the “how,” the need for ambidextrous senior leadership emerges, capable of orchestrating from the strategy under a clear purpose.

Precisely for this reason, having a headhunter Identifying these leaders becomes a strategic decision.

Because as our study confirms, only 25% of HR directors say they use AI data for strategic planning. The main reason is not the lack of technology, but the shortage of talent capable of integrating it.

For years, the mantra was to be ‘data-driven’. Today, the new frontier is being ‘AI-First’, where AI becomes the core of the business model and redefines the role of the HR Director.

4. Keys to select these profiles

When selecting senior AI profiles—whether on the Steering Committee or the Board—there are some unavoidable keys:

• Understand the cultural context of the company: A brilliant profile can fail if it doesn’t fit the culture.

• Assess influence capacity: it is not enough to know about AI; You have to know how to “sell” benefits and risks internally.

• Search systemic thinking: Understand how AI impacts the entire organization.

• Measure ethics and judgment: key when handling sensitive data or critical decisions.

• long look and exponential: Will this person grow with technology or be surpassed by it? Does it identify exponential patterns or only linear ones?

In this transformation, the indispensable “In” vision of the HR Director must be complemented with the “Out” perspective of a new generation headhunter. This is no longer a mere search executor, but a strategic advisor, capable of discerning structural trends from passing fads and co-creating a talent strategy that drives the organization.

5. Conclusion: the human remains the heart of the digital

AI is transforming the agenda of HR directors, but the selection of senior profiles in AI is more demanding than ever. It’s not about finding programmers, but leaders. It is not about replacing the human with the artificial, but rather about combining them intelligently.

Use of AI without strategic direction or critical oversight can become a “ticking time bomb”. But inaction is also a mistake: companies that do not actively explore AI risk obsolescence.

Best advice: Don’t rely on data alone. Trust the judgment of someone who knows how to read between the lines, ask the right questions and detect, beyond the CV, the true transformative potential of a person.

*** Antonio Núñez is Senior Partner at Parangon Partners and founder of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association.

Abel Linares is CEO of Nunkyworld, advisor and reference in technology where he has been CEO of large companies such as OESIA, Terra or TPI.