Global CEO Turnover Index

We share the latest CEO turnover data across listed companies globally. Each quarter, you’ll find the proportion of CEO departures and appointments globally, as well as trends on CEO appointments by gender, tenure, and whether CEOs are internal or external hires.
Global CEO turnover - Russell Reynolds Associate

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Global CEO Turnover Index: Key Trends H1 2025

 

01

CEO turnover declines in H1

In H1 2025, 110 CEOs departed their positions globally—an 11% decrease from H1 2024 when 123 CEOs left their roles, marking a record low for H1 CEO turnover.

 

This decline in CEO turnover may also reflect organizational caution and policy uncertainty, with some organizations adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to major leadership decisions as they navigate regulatory and trade policy shifts.

 

Notably, while global figures show stabilization in CEO turnover in H1 2025, the S&P 500 bucked this trend with 36 CEO departures in H1 2025—matching H1 2024 levels.

 

 


02

CEO tenure reaches record low amid evolving role demands

The average tenure for outgoing CEOs fell to 6.8 years in the first half of 2025, down from 7.7 years during the same period in 2024—the lowest H1 figure since we began tracking CEO turnover in 2018. Today’s CEOs face growing expectations, broader responsibilities, and the constant pressure to reinvent their organizations amid an accelerating business environment.

 

This decline in tenure could indicate that the combination of heightened stakeholder scrutiny of the CEO role and the need for continuous business transformation is making the role increasingly challenging to sustain.

 

 


03

High internal CEO appointments demonstrate effective succession planning maturity

In H1 2025, 76% of incoming CEOs were internally promoted, matching H1 2024 levels and demonstrating that organizations are focused on developing their internal candidates and addressing any potential development gaps.

 

This indicates that boards are increasingly taking a proactive, strategic approach to leadership transitions, rather than reacting to unexpected departures.

 

 


04

Women CEO appointments steady but highlight persistent opportunity gap

Women accounted for 9% of all incoming CEO appointments in H1 2025, unchanged from the same period in 2024 and consistent with the 8-year H1 average of 9%. While this stability indicates that progress has not reversed, it underscores the significant opportunity that remains untapped.

 

For organizations to access the full spectrum of leadership talent in an increasingly competitive environment, executives and their boards must continue to challenge traditional leadership profiles and accelerate the development of a broader pool of leadership talent.

What is CEO turnover?

CEO turnover—the rate at which chief executives leave and join organizations—serves as a key economic indicator, reflecting both business confidence and broader market conditions. High turnover often signals companies' willingness to take risks and make strategic changes, while low turnover may indicate uncertainty or a preference for stability.

How has CEO turnover changed for public companies?

CEO turnover has increased since 2018 for the companies listed on the 13 indices tracked in the CEO Turnover Index, hitting a six-year high in 2024, when 220 CEOs were appointed globally.

Why is CEO turnover so high for public firms globally?

High CEO turnover is reflective of market volatility and the increased scrutiny of CEOs today. This has also impacted the number of CEOs who are choosing to do the job more than once. We’re seeing more ‘step-up’ first-time CEOs appointed to the role; some of these are internal candidates as part of planned CEO succession, but some of them are external. In addition, many CEOs are now choosing to step down and retire from executive life rather than choosing to undertake a second CEO role elsewhere.

How many CEOs were appointed globally in 2024 at public companies?

There were 220 CEO appointments globally in 2024 for the companies listed on the 13 indices tracked in the CEO Turnover Index. This included:

  • 60 CEO appointments in the S&P 500.
  • 27 CEO appointments in ASX 200.
  • 14 CEO appointments in the FTSE 100.

How many CEOs of public companies stepped down in 2024?

There were 202 CEO departures globally in 2024 for the companies listed on the 13 indices tracked in the CEO Turnover Index. This included:

  • 58 CEO departures in the S&P 500.
  • 27 CEO departures in ASX 200.
  • 12 CEO departures in the FTSE 100.

What is the proportion of women CEO appointments at public firms in 2024?

Women remain largely underrepresented in the CEO role across the world as per the CEO Turnover Index. In 2024, women accounted for 24 of CEO appointments globally (11% of all appointments), compared to 196 for men. However, there are regional nuances. In 2024:

  • 9 women CEOs were appointed in the S&P 500, representing 15% of CEO appointments.
  • 2 women CEOs were appointed in the ASX 200, representing 7% of CEO appointments.
  • 2 women CEOs were appointed in the FTSE 100, representing 14% of CEO appointments.

What proportion of new CEOs of public companies were first-time CEOs?

In 2024, 85% of 220 CEO appointments were first-time CEOs for the companies listed on the 13 indices tracked in the CEO Turnover Index. They had never held a CEO role at a public-listed company.

What’s the average tenure of CEOs at publicly listed companies?

In 2024, the average tenure of outgoing CEOs was 7.4 years. However, there are some interesting nuances according to the CEO Turnover Index.

Internal vs. external hires. Internal CEO hires had longer tenures than external CEO hires. On average, internal CEO tenures were 1.2 years longer than external CEO hires.

Men vs. women. Women CEOs had shorter tenures than men in 2024. On average, women lasted 5.9 years in the CEO role globally, compared to 7.6 years for men. There is significant variation across the globe. Only in the STI, FTSE 250, and S&P/TSX Composite do women CEOs stay in the role longer than men.

  • ASX 200: -3.4 years
  • S&P 500: -5.2 years
  • FTSE 100: -3.6 years

First-time CEOs vs. seasoned CEOs. First-time public company CEO tenures were 1.8 years longer than those who had previous CEO experience.

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Global CFO Turnover Index

Find out how many listed company Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are leaving and starting their posts each quarter globally.