The average age of new CEOs declined in 2025 to its lowest point since 2016, according to a report from executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates.
In 2025, the average age at hire for new CEOs was 52.9 — down from 54.3 in 2024. The figure peaked at 55.5 in 2022, compared to 52.2 in 2016. The youngest average age recorded in the report was 51.5 in 2015, the earliest year analyzed.
The report also examined average ages of CEOs and CFOs from 2015 to 2025, which have remained largely constant over the decade. CEOs are, on average, five years older than CFOs, according to the report.
In 2025, the average CEO was 57.8 — consistent with 57.7 in 2024. For CFOs, the average was 52.6 in 2025, compared to 52.2 the previous year.
Crist Kolder’s annual report tracks C-suite turnover among 667 companies in the Fortune 500 and S&P 500, 9.7% of which operate in the healthcare sector.
