The traditional notion of a career, associated with a linear progression — climbing step by step to the top — is losing strength. In a world where technological acceleration, the climate crisis, and transformations in the labor market are intensifying, the most promising path is no longer the one that ascends, but the one that expands.
Today’s executive is not defined solely by the position they hold but by the diversity of roles they perform. One can be a manager and a trainer, a consultant and a mentor, a leader and a learner. Hybrid careers, once seen as a sign of dispersion, now reflect adaptability and strategic intelligence. In a market that values purpose as much as performance, being hybrid has become a competitive advantage.
This transformation stems from a shifting global context, with sustainability taking center stage. COP30, to be held in November 2025 in Belém, at the heart of the Amazon, symbolizes a turning point. The choice of Belém to host the summit reflects the urgency of integrating environmental and social criteria into corporate strategies. Sustainability is no longer a peripheral topic; it has become the new foundation of global competitiveness. For executives, continuing to treat sustainability as a secondary chapter risks irrelevance, even in Trump’s “anti-ESG” era.
In Portugal, companies are already incorporating ESG targets into management contracts, and a portion of executives’ variable compensation depends on meeting environmental and social goals. There is growing demand for professionals capable of translating impact concepts into financial results.
Leadership is also being redefined. The contemporary manager must be able to teach, share knowledge, and cultivate other leaders. Executive education, now increasingly focused on sustainability, ethics, technology, and impact, has become essential, and it extends beyond business schools. Learning happens within companies, through peer interaction, and in sustainability forums. The leader of the future will be the one who learns and teaches simultaneously, fostering continuous renewal.
In this context, the hybrid career emerges as a natural response to transition. Building one requires self-awareness and strategy. It is necessary to explore how to integrate management experience with new value areas such as sustainability, social innovation, or ethical governance. Taking on complementary roles, such as mentoring young professionals at the start of their careers or advising startups, broadens an executive’s sphere of influence.
COP30 may act as a catalyst for this reinvention. The event in Belém, more than a diplomatic summit, is a global call to action. By focusing on the Amazon, it compels us to rethink the relationship between the economy, the planet, and work. Companies that
grasp this connection will be better prepared for the demands of investors and consumers, and professionals who anticipate this transformation will gain greater relevance in the future.
The hybrid career is not an escape from the system but a way to update it. It integrates dimensions that once seemed separate: reason and emotion, efficiency and empathy, growth and responsibility. The executive who teaches, the leader who listens; these are the profiles best equipped for a world where leadership must be both rational and human.
Portugal holds unique conditions to exemplify this transition. The country fosters collaboration between companies, academia, and the public sector. There are already initiatives in place that show the transformation movement is real, albeit still modest. Portuguese talent can therefore play a leading role in the sustainable economy, not merely as a follower, but as a protagonist.
To speak of hybrid careers is to speak of coherence; understanding that a professional path should reflect not only skills but also values. COP30 in Belém is a visual reminder of this idea: everything is interconnected. Just as climate balance depends on the Amazon, the balance of organizations depends on the ability of leaders to connect results with values, business with impact, and the short with the long term.
The future belongs to those who can combine rigor with imagination, metrics with meaning. And that begins with how each of us chooses to shape our trajectory. The greatest legacy of COP30, beyond international agreements, may be inspiring us to see our careers as living ecosystems: dynamic, diverse, and sustainable.
The age of linear careers is over. What lies ahead is an era of intertwined skills, purposes, and learning. Within this hybrid space resides the true opportunity for growth. Because success, from now on, will not only be about rising — it will be about helping the world around us grow.
Marta Lima, Executive in Residence at CATÓLICA-LISBON