FTSE 100 COO tenure plummets to just 2.7 years as AI, trade disruption and complexity drives rapid turnover

• FTSE 100 COO tenure has fallen dramatically from 4.2 years in 2023 to 2.7 years in the twelve months to Q1 2025, a 36% decline

• Globally, 88% of new COOs are first timers, often stepping into transformations with significant operational complexity

• Shortening tenures reflect the increasing complexity of the COO role, requiring a new breed of agile and creative leaders

London, UK – June 25, 2025 – The tenure of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) at FTSE 100 companies has plummeted to 3.3 years in 2024 as operational leaders move on after bruising transformation projects.

Russell Reynolds Associates' new COO Turnover Index, tracks the appointments and departures of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) across 10 global indices. COOs* have historically been responsible for driving day to day operations but the role has evolved to increasingly focus on transformations which touch every corner of an organisation from people to products and from technology to supply chains.

FTSE 100 shows steep decline in COO tenure in response to disruption

The data reveals that COO tenure within the FTSE 100 has fallen by 36% since 2023. In 2023 COO tenure was 4.2 years on average, dropping to 3.3 years in 2024. In the twelve months to Q1 2025, it dropped further to 2.7 years.

While the decline in tenure within the FTSE 100 is striking, COO tenure globally also remains remarkably short. Since 2019, COOs at large listed companies have lasted just 3.2 years on average, while average tenure in the S&P 500 stands at 3.25 years. By comparison, the typical CEO tenure is 6-8 years, while CFOs stay in role for 5-7 years.

The data underlines the link between the COO role and specific corporate transformation agendas. Many COOs stay for a transformation cycle of approximately three years before moving on to new challenges, with few overseeing operations over a longer time period.

Increasingly, this movement includes progression to CEO roles. Russell Reynolds Associates' 2024 CEO Turnover Index shows that 22% of all incoming CEOs in 2024 were previously COOs, the highest of any senior executive position. Experience gained managing complex operational transformations, particularly around AI, is proving ideal preparation for the current generation of leaders.

Internal promotions drive first-time COO appointments as experienced COOs proves elusive

The data reveals companies' overwhelming reliance on internal talent, with 81% of global COO appointments in Q1 2025 coming from within organisations and 88% being first-time COOs.

In the S&P 500, this preference for internal candidates is even more pronounced, with 94% of appointments in Q1 2025 being internal promotions and all of them being first-time COOs. The FTSE 100 is more balanced with half of appointees in Q1 coming from internal promotions and half being experienced external hires.*

Gender Representation Shows Mixed Progress

The representation of women within the COO role appears to have stagnated as STEM pipelines hold back progress. Just 13% of new COOs in 2024 were women, down from a peak of 19% in 2023.

2024’s figures were slightly lower than the six-year average of 14.2%, underscoring broader pipeline challenges in senior leadership feeding into the COO role. Nonetheless, in Q1 2025, 21% of COOs appointed were women, suggesting that women appointments could be on the rise again.

_{Notes to Editors
*A small sample size of just 4 new COO appointments were made in the FTSE 100 in Q1 2025}

Media Contacts

Russell Reynolds Associates
Sarah Carlyle, Marketing Director EMEA
sarah.carlyle@russellreynolds.com