What does the average CEO of an ASX 200-listed company look like?

Find out the latest CEO trends.

Robert Half’s CEO Tracker is your easy gateway to discover common CEO trends and qualities amongst Australia’s top business leaders.

SNAPSHOT – WHO IS THE AVERAGE CEO OF AN ASX 200-LISTED COMPANY?

A MAN

94%are male

SYDNEY-BASED

47%are basedin Sydney

FINANCIALBACKGROUND

50%have a

backgroundin finance

INTERNATIONALWORK EXPERIENCE

59%have worked

internationally

HOW ABOUT THE EDCUATION OF AUSTRALIA’S CEOs LISTED ON THE ASX 200?

DEGREE

17%of ASX-listed

CEOs do not havea degree

UNDERGRADUATEDEGREE

82%hold an

undergraduatedegree

POSTGRADUATEDEGREE

54%hold a

postgraduatedegree

WHILE THERE’S NO EXACT FORMULA FOR SECURING NEW HIRES, INCLUDING AT THE C-LEVEL, IF YOU CAN SHOWCASE REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE ALONGSIDE ACADEMIC

CREDENTIALS, YOU SET YOURSELF UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.

CEO TRENDS! MOST POPULAR DEGREES

ANY POSTGRADUATE DEGREE CAN BE USEFUL FOR WINNING A SENIOR MANAGEMENT ROLE. ADVICE! COMPLEMENT THESE SKILLS WITH INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS.

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES*

Bachelor of Commerce Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Economics Bachelor of Engineering Bachelor of Business

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR POSTGRADUATE DEGREES*

MBA Honours Masters of Science Harvard Advancement Management Program

Masters of Applied Finance

*CEOs who hold more than one undergraduate or postgraduate degree have been counted several times depending on the number of undergraduate/postgraduate degrees they have.

ADDED VALUE OF A BACKGROUNDIN FINANCE FOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

*Finance, accounting and/or financial services.

HAVING A BACKGROUND IN FINANCE ENABLES PROFESSIONALS – ACROSS ALL SENIORITY LEVELS - TO GET A BROAD VIEW OF THE FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT THAT IN TURN CAN

PROVIDE UNIQUE INSIGHTS TO THE BUSINESS.

of the ASX-listed CEOs havea background in finance*

50%

SUCCESSION PLANNING IS KEY TO FILL THE TOP POSITION

BUT: Going outside the company to hire also offers benefits as the externally-hired CEO can offer new perspective, alleviate change and bring in new skillsets.

of the ASX 200-listed CEOswere promoted internally

62%

THERE IS VALUE IN HAVING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

*CEOs who have worked in multiple regions have been counted several times depending on the regions they have worked in.

Being able to put management skills and business acumen into practice in a different country helps C-suite professionals gain a broad understanding of the cultural and

geographical influences that impact business operations.

of the ASX 200-listed CEOs have worked internationally

59%

LOYALTY HAS ITS REWARDS

Internally-hired ASX 200-listed CEOs reached their current role after an average of 8 years tenure with their company.

61%0-5 years

26%6-10 years

13%11+ years

AMBITION IS KEY

of the ASX 200-listed CEOs have held the CEO role in their previous job before becoming CEO at their current work*24%

*In case of multiple job titles, the first listed title has been taken into account.

COO CFOCEO Managing Director

General Manager OtherVice President President

24%

4% 3.5% 3% 36%

12.5% 9% 8%

$

About the research: Robert Half has conducted research on the CEOs of the ASX 200 by analysing publicly available sources of information about ASX 200 CEOs to track trends including their professional and educational background, gender, and length of tenure. The research was analysed from the period 1st April 2017 – 31st May

2017, and all results are correct to the best of our knowledge.

INTERESTED IN DISCOVERING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASX 200-LISTED CEOs?

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