Bupa CEO uses six-hour interview test for senior hires

Bupa CEO Iñaki Ereño says he has replaced short interviews with a six-hour process for senior candidates, Fortune reported. The approach matters because Ereño says it has cut hiring errors at a healthcare company with more than 100,000 employees.

Ereño told Fortune that a standard one-hour interview did not give him enough evidence to judge a candidate. He now splits the process into three two-hour meetings, which he described to Fortune as his “secret weapon” for making better appointments.

According to Fortune, Bupa reported £18.2 billion, or $24.5 billion, in revenue in 2025 and operates across 190 countries. Ereño said the cost of choosing the wrong senior hire at that scale pushed him to build a more demanding system.

How the process works

Fortune reported that the first meeting focuses on the candidate’s résumé and professional record. The second takes place over breakfast or lunch, where Ereño studies how the person behaves outside a formal office setting.

At the restaurant, Ereño told Fortune he watches whether a candidate shows initiative. He said he would be comfortable if a candidate ordered wine even when he was drinking water, because he sees that kind of choice as a sign of confidence rather than deference.

Ereño told Fortune he does not want candidates who copy his order to avoid standing out. He said he is looking for people who are proactive, willing to take some risks and comfortable making decisions without waiting for a cue.

The meal also gives Ereño a chance to observe manners, Fortune reported. He said treatment of the waiter is one of the details he pays close attention to, because he wants to see whether the candidate is respectful.

The final two-hour meeting returns to the office, according to Fortune. Ereño said he uses that session to ask about the candidate’s life, their interest in Bupa and what they expect from the company.

Other executives use informal tests

Fortune reported that Ereño is among several executives who use informal settings to assess job candidates. Twilio CEO Khozema Shipchandler holds 45-minute dinners with senior candidates and listens for signs of whether they think in terms of “I” or the team, according to Fortune.

Fortune also reported that Shipchandler gives candidates time to ask questions and sees a lack of questions as a warning sign. Other unnamed executives cited by Fortune use restaurant behavior, such as seasoning food before tasting it or reacting to a mistaken order, as part of their hiring judgment.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs used a different informal test, Fortune reported, asking whether he would want to have a beer with a candidate or speak with them casually on a walk. Fortune also cited Diary of a CEO founder Steven Bartlett, who said he hired a candidate with no experience after she thanked a security guard by name during the interview process.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.