The 8 November elections were a major waypoint in Myanmar’s transition from authoritarian rule. The victorious National League for Democracy (NLD) needs to identify key appointees wisely to prepare for taking power in March 2016. There are high expectations that NLD will deliver the needed political and economic changes. Success will depend on the cooperation between a new capable president and the armed forces. NLD’s limited experience of government, a shallow pool of skilled technocrats and the difficulty of reforming key institutions all constrain how much can be delivered quickly. Other hurdles include serious armed clashes in Shan and Kachin states, macro-economic turbulence, and grievances of the disenfranchised Muslim Rohingya.