My response to this would be... "Certainly...and why not"
Let us look at the challenges of A Business Leader (or a CEO)
- Achieving and sustaining profitability
- Developing leaders and delegating responsibility
- Engaging employees in the company's vision
- Managing risk and volatility
- Managing expectations
- Containing costs
- Raising capital
- High-quality employees
- Right timing in the Marketplace
- Sound business strategy
- Strong leadership
- Exceptional or unique products
- Proprietary technology
- Internationalization of markets and resources
- and many more...
Most of these challenges pertain to Human Capital.
As a CEO, I need Enguaged employees, Aligned teams, Transparent organisation thereby making the organisation to have a Winning Culture and improved talent retention. This would result in Better returns to the Shareholders.
Traditionally, this post was given to the best Sales person in the organisation as profit was the only reference for CEO performance. I need a sustained competetive advantage in the market space to remain in profits. This competitive advantage lies in the kind of Talent pool I have and how enguaged they are to organisation objectives.
Thus, CEO has to be the best HR guy around.
So, HR guy can become a CEO.