Published June 15, 2022
The number of CEO changes at U.S. companies rose 22% to 150 in May from 123 in April. It is 52% higher than the 99 CEO changes announced in the same month in 2021, according to a report released Wednesday by global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
So far this year, 668 CEOs have left their posts, the highest January-May total since the firm began tracking monthly CEO changes in 2002. It is up 24% from the 539 CEO exits announced through May last year, and up 6% from the previous high of 627 exits announced in the first five months of 2019.
“The CEO exodus continues. Economic conditions, rising inflation, and recession concerns are making boards rethink leadership and leaders rethink if they want to take on these challenges,” said Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. ©
Industries with the Most Leadership Change
Government/Non-Profit entities lead all industries in CEO turnover with 154 so far this year, followed by Technology companies with 63. Technology firms saw 16 exits last month, the fourth-highest industry in May. Last month, Technology companies announced the most job cuts since December 2020, according to Challenger’s monthly Job Cuts Report.
“The ready capital that was available to Tech companies the last few years is starting to slow, and job cuts are following. Generally, new leaders are brought in during a period of uncertainty. Former leaders often remain with the company for a period of time, either as a consultant or continue as a Board Member or Chair to maintain institutional knowledge and have the appearance of a seamless transition,” said Challenger.
Reasons Why
Thirty-three CEOs retired last month for a total of 155 so far this year, while 183 CEOs stepped into other high-level roles within the company, usually as a Chair or advisor to the CEO, this year. Another 39 CEOs left for new opportunities, with 11 in May.
Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. ©
Female Leaders
The rate of women taking over the incoming CEO role remained unchanged at 26% so far in 2022, up slightly from the 24% of incoming women who made up new CEOs through the same period in 2021.
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Contact Colleen Madden Blumenfeld for more data or to set up an interview with SVP Andy Challenger.
How to Manage the Middle-Management Crisis
Jul 10, 2022
One camp suggests simply dispensing with the typical org chart. But while you can’t get rid of hierarchies, you can make them smarter
How to Manage the Middle-Management Crisis: https://t.co/jytHdvJN9n #assnchat
— Associations Now (@AssociationsNow) July 11, 2022
Managers have been living in a pressure cooker. Many have had it
published June 28, 2022
Meanwhile, in the first five months of 2022, global outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas found that 668 US-based CEOs have left their positions, making it the highest January-through-May total recorded since the firm began tracking monthly CEO changes in 2002. “The CEO exodus continues. Economic conditions, rising inflation, and recession concerns are making boards rethink leadership and leaders rethink if they want to take on these challenges,” said Andrew Challenger, the company’s senior vice president. … Another major stressor for middle managers: Many are relatively new, hired after a wave of more tenured managers decided to retire early during the pandemic, Challenger said. “They’re learning to be a manager to teams that are remote. And there’s not a lot of wisdom or experience they can get from [more tenured managers]. That is exhausting,” he noted. … There is also more pressure on managers to hold teams together when employees have more power than ever and quit rates have been at record highs. And the latest five-month layoff rate was the lowest recorded since Challenger started tracking it in 1993. “Companies have been hanging onto people and are loathe to let them go in this environment,” Challenger said. He anticipates the hot labor market may start to cool a bit by the end of this year, amid concerns about the economy. But that cooling may just temper the quit rate, not cause it to plunge. And it may increase layoffs, but not hugely. Should both those levers move as Challenger predicts, that may settle at least one of the exhausting ambiguities managers and executives have had to contend with lately: How many days people will work in the office versus remote. To date there’s been a big disconnect between what employers want and what their employees want. “Employers going for hybrid may think four days a week and employees think it should be zero,” Challenger said. “As the labor market cools, we’ll get closer to a new post-Covid equilibrium.”
Managers have been living in a pressure cooker. Many have had it – CNN https://t.co/y5mz2bEikx
— Tech__UK (@Tech__UK) June 28, 2022
CEOs Succumbing To The Great Resignation: Prioritizing C-Suite Mental Health
Published on Sep 8, 2022
The “Great Resignation” is causing waves across the workforce, but not in places you might expect. While plenty of attention has been devoted to Gen Z employees switching jobs in record numbers, new data shows the C-suite is struggling too. Deloitte reports around 70% of high-level executives are seriously considering quitting their jobs, largely to improve their emotional well-being. In fact, these departures are already underway. According to a recent report conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, over 650 CEOs left their jobs in 2022. What’s behind this exodus of leaders? Workers across all industries have been deeply impacted by mental health challenges, exacerbated by COVID-19, rising economic uncertainty, 40-year high inflation, and global conflict. The C-suite is no exception.
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