How does this promotion compare to recent management changes at key competitors in the productivity and training industry?

FranklinCovey’s move in context

FranklinCovey announced on 7 August 2025 that Holly Procter has been promoted to President of its Enterprise Division. Procter, who has spent the past decade in senior roles across FranklinCovey’s Global Services, Sales, and Marketing organizations, is being tapped to “drive customer and revenue growth” for the company’s enterprise‑focused portfolio (time‑management, leadership, and performance‑improvement solutions). The promotion is an internal elevation that signals FranklinCov‑ey’s desire to:

• Accelerate the enterprise‑sales engine – the division now accounts for roughly 45 % of total revenue and is the primary growth engine for the firm.
• Deepen the customer‑centric approach – Procter’s background in client‑success and channel‑partner management is being leveraged to tighten relationships with large‑scale corporate accounts.
• Maintain continuity of culture – By promoting a long‑standing FranklinCovey leader, the board signals stability while still promising a more aggressive growth agenda.

Below is a side‑by‑side look at how this promotion stacks up against the most recent senior‑leadership changes at the key competitors that operate in the same productivity‑training space (time‑management, leadership development, and performance‑improvement solutions). The comparison draws on publicly reported moves from the last 12‑months (Q3 2024 – Q2 2025) at Skillsoft, LinkedIn Learning (Microsoft), Udemy, Coursera, and D2L (formerly Desire2Learn).

1. Competitor Management‑Change Snapshots (Q3 2024 – Q2 2025)

2. Key Comparative Themes

3. What the Comparison Reveals About Industry‑wide Trends

1. Enterprise is the primary growth frontier
   
   All five competitors have elevated senior leaders (President, SVP, C‑level) specifically to own the enterprise or B2B segment. FranklinCovey’s move mirrors this trend, confirming that the “enterprise‑learning” market—large contracts, recurring‑revenue models, and integration with broader HR/IT stacks—is now the top priority across the sector.

2. Balance of internal continuity vs external expertise

   • Internal promotions (FranklinCovey, Skillsoft, Udemy, D2L) suggest a belief that deep product knowledge and cultural alignment are critical for scaling existing platforms.
     
   • External hires (LinkedIn Learning, Coursera) indicate a desire for fresh networks, new partnership‑building capabilities, and perhaps a shift toward broader ecosystem integration (e.g., Microsoft Cloud, IBM’s enterprise contracts).
     FranklinCovey’s choice of an internal candidate signals confidence that Procter already possesses the requisite enterprise‑sales acumen and can execute the growth plan without a steep learning curve.

3. AI‑driven personalization is a common catalyst
   
   The promotions at Skillsoft, Udemy, and Coursera are explicitly linked to AI‑enabled content curation or new product suites. While FranklinCovey’s press release does not name AI, the timing (post‑launch of the “Performance Advantage” AI‑coach) suggests the promotion is also meant to scale AI‑enabled enterprise solutions.

4. Strategic partnership emphasis
   
   LinkedIn Learning’s SVP appointment is all about embedding learning into broader SaaS ecosystems. FranklinCovey’s Procter, with a background in channel‑partner management, is likely being positioned to forge deeper alliances with large consulting firms, system integrators, and technology partners—a parallel strategic thrust.

5. Geographic expansion vs deepening existing markets
   
   Coursera’s focus on government contracts in regulated markets, and Skillsoft’s push into Europe, shows competitors are diversifying the enterprise customer base. FranklinCovey, historically strongest in North America, is now targeting APAC and EMEA enterprise accounts, a move that aligns with the broader industry push for global reach.

6. Retention and net‑revenue growth as a differentiator
   
   D2L’s new C‑Customer Success Officer underscores the importance of net‑retention in a subscription‑heavy model. FranklinCovey’s promotion, with Procter’s “customer‑centric” pedigree, hints at a similar focus on renewal rates and upsell within its enterprise accounts.

4. Implications for FranklinCovey’s Competitive Position

5. Bottom‑Line Comparison

Takeaway

• FranklinCovey’s promotion of Holly Procter is fully in step with the broader industry shift toward dedicated enterprise leadership—a move mirrored by Skillsoft, Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning.
  
• The internal nature of the promotion underscores a desire for cultural continuity and rapid execution, whereas competitors like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera have injected fresh external talent to accelerate partnership development and vertical expansion.
  
• Strategically, Procter’s background in customer‑centric sales and channel partnership positions FranklinCovey to compete on the same three levers that dominate the market today: enterprise‑scale contracts, AI‑enabled personalization, and ecosystem partnerships. The success of the promotion will hinge on how quickly she can translate those capabilities into measurable revenue growth and broaden the company’s global enterprise footprint—areas where rivals are already making headway through either AI‑product integration (Skillsoft, Udemy) or large‑scale ecosystem alliances (LinkedIn Learning, Coursera).