More American CEOs exited their companies in 2024 than in any year in more than two decades, with economic and technological factors contributing to the trend, according to a recent report from global outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Last year, 2,221 CEOs quit their jobs, the company said in its Jan. 30 report. The number is 16 percent higher than the previous record, which was set in 2023 with 1,914 CEO exits. The company began tracking CEO changes in 2002.
Also in 2024, 143 founders left their CEO roles, far higher than 29 in the previous year.
The government/nonprofit sector led 2024 in terms of CEO departures, with 493 executives leaving their posts. Health care and technology sectors saw more than 200 CEO exits each, followed by entertainment/leisure, financial, and services industries, each with more than 100 executives exiting….