Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program

The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program prepares experienced HR leaders to lead enterprise-wide people strategy, AI-enabled HR transformation, organizational change, and future-ready human capital initiatives.

Over four months, participants progress through three integrated live online courses covering enterprise leadership, people strategy, and human capital strategy before participating in a dedicated three-day CHRO immersion and a three-day CXO immersion at the Chicago Booth campus.

Throughout the program, participants examine how AI, analytics, and emerging technologies are reshaping talent, workforce strategy, organizational capability, and the role of HR. They develop practical frameworks to align people strategy with business priorities, evaluate the opportunities and implications of AI, and lead responsible transformation across the organization.

Upon completion, participants will be prepared to lead HR as a strategic business function that connects people, technology, and enterprise strategy to drive organizational performance and long-term success.

Key Program Learning Benefits

• Develop HR strategies that align people initiatives with enterprise business objectives.
• Apply AI, analytics, and emerging technologies responsibly to strengthen workforce planning, talent management, and HR decision-making.
• Design human capital strategies that strengthen organizational capability and competitive advantage.
• Evaluate how AI and changing workforce models are reshaping skills, roles, and the future of work.
• Lead organizational transformation, culture, and employee experience initiatives in an evolving business environment.
• Collaborate effectively with CEOs, boards, and cross-functional executives to drive enterprise-wide impact.

This program is designed for experienced HR and business leaders, including:

• Chief human resources officers, chief people officers, and senior HR executives.
• Vice presidents, senior vice presidents, executive vice presidents, and directors of human resources, talent, learning and development, or organizational development.
• Senior leaders responsible for workforce transformation, organizational design, culture, or employee experience.
• Business leaders preparing to transition into enterprise HR leadership.
• CEOs and senior executives seeking to strengthen strategic human capital leadership.

Please note that guest speakers and instructors are representative and subject to change.

Across the learning journey, participants explore how AI, analytics, and emerging technologies intersect with enterprise strategy, people strategy, and human capital leadership, building the perspective required to navigate technology-driven change responsibly.

Course 1: The Next-Gen Enterprise

Instructor: Chris Collins

• The CHRO mandate and reimagining the organization
• Develop habits of critical thinking for organizational impact
• Evaluate productivity, cost, and value trade-offs in people investments

Course 2: People Strategy and HR

Instructor: Eric Severson

• Align people strategy with business goals to create measurable value and competitive advantage
• Partner with finance and operations leaders to advance enterprise strategy
• HR function and transformation: Talent strategy and acquisition and designing an HR function that supports long-term organizational growth
• Culture and employee value proposition

Course 3: Human Capital Strategy

Instructor: Tracy Layney

• Translate people strategy into a holistic human capital strategy
• Assessment of organizational capabilities and gaps: Organizational readiness, diagnose current-state challenges, and define future-state goals
• Stakeholder engagement and strategic alignment: Drive alignment and buy-in across the organization

*The modules are subject to change.

CHRO Immersion Experience

Chicago Booth’s CHRO Program combines live online learning with a dedicated three-day, in-person immersion designed to help participants translate strategy into action. Building on the online curriculum, the experience explores AI-enabled HR transformation, the future of talent and work, and organizational change through instructor-led sessions, collaborative discussions, and executive peer learning.

Over three days, participants will explore:

Day 1: Rethinking HR in the Age of AI

• Apply analytics and AI responsibly to talent acquisition and performance
• Evaluate and adopt HR technologies to enhance scalability and efficiency
• Skills and capability building for the AI age
• Leading responsible AI transformation

Day 2: Talent Management and Future of Work

• Workforce of the future: Rethinking talent strategy in the age of AI
• Talent acquisition reimagined: Data-driven hiring and bias mitigation
• Performance, development, and retention in a skills-based organization
• The CHRO as strategic architect: Leading culture, change, and the employee experience

Day 3: Organizational Development and Change

• Lead culture and organizational change from the HR function outward
• Managing well-being and employee experience
• Driving creativity and innovation
• Harness organizational identity and storytelling to drive meaningful transformation

The immersion also provides opportunities to engage directly with Chicago Booth faculty, industry leaders, and senior HR peers while experiencing the Chicago Booth campus and the vibrant city of Chicago.

Experience Highlights

• Instructor-led sessions
• Executive peer learning
• Industry perspectives
• Chicago Booth campus experience

*Session topics are subject to change.

CXO Immersion

The program concludes with a three-day shared CXO immersion, during which participants learn alongside senior executives from across Chicago Booth Executive Education’s portfolio of CXO programs.

Designed to encourage cross-functional exchange, the experience gives participants an opportunity to broaden their leadership perspectives beyond HR. Participants strengthen relationships developed throughout the program, engage in collaborative discussions with executives from different business functions, and learn from Chicago Booth faculty and industry leaders.

Experience Highlights

• Cross-functional executive networking
• Instructor-led sessions
• Industry speakers
• Chicago Booth campus experience

*The in-person immersion agenda, session topics, speakers, and activities are subject to change.

Flexible Live Online Learning
Participate in instructor-led live online sessions designed to encourage discussion, collaboration, and practical application, while exploring how emerging technologies are influencing the evolving CHRO mandate.

CHRO Immersion Experience
Participate in a dedicated three-day in-person immersion focused on AI-enabled, future-ready HR leadership, organizational transformation, and workforce strategy.

CXO Immersion
Expand your executive perspective by learning alongside senior leaders from across Chicago Booth’s CXO portfolio through instructor sessions, executive networking, and cross-functional collaboration.