Elena L. Botelho

Elena L. Botelho is a leadership advisor, researcher, and bestselling author known for her work in executive leadership and CEO development. As the founder and co-leader of the CEO Genome Project, Botelho has spent more than two decades advising CEOs, boards, investors, and emerging leaders at McKinsey and ghSMART. Prior to her role at ghSMART, she served as an associate partner at McKinsey & Company, a corporate finance associate at Andersen Worldwide in New York, and an investment officer with a private equity fund in Moscow, Russia. She holds an MBA in finance from Wharton, a CPA license, and a Bachelor of Science in accounting with magna cum laude honors from SUNY Binghamton.

Botelho is the co-author of "The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors That Transform Ordinary People into World-Class Leaders," which became a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. The book draws on an analysis of more than 2,600 leaders from a database of over 17,000 CEOs and C-suite executives, as well as 13,000 hours of interviews and two decades of experience in executive advisory. Botelho and co-author Kim R. Powell challenge common misconceptions about executive success and identify key behaviors that distinguish successful CEOs. Their research was featured as a cover story in Harvard Business Review and the book received the CMI Management Book of the Year Award.

The CEO Genome Project is a research and client practice supporting CEOs, executives on the path to CEO, and boards managing CEO succession. Botelho leads the project in collaboration with academics and data analysts at University of Chicago, NYU, and SAS Inc., providing practical insights on more than 17,000 leaders. She has supported first-time CEOs and CEO transitions for over 15 years, working with organizations ranging from Fortune 50 companies to middle market firms across various industries. Her clients include major corporations and investment firms such as Pfizer, IBM, Carlyle Group, Centerbridge, Berkshire, and Tiger Global.

Botelho is a public speaker who uses CEO Genome research to address myths about executive leadership and make success more accessible. Her research and insights have been featured in CEO forums, on TEDx, UPenn, CNN.com, and other major media and conferences. She is a published author and frequent speaker at industry events on leadership, talent management, and mergers and acquisitions, and is a member of the McKinsey M&A Integration Council. Beyond her professional work, Botelho supports nonprofit institutions including Success Academy, Washington National Cathedral Schools, and Partnership for New York City.