David Solomon, Lisa Su and Other CEOs: Why Global Boards Are Keeping Leaders Longer in 2026

Global companies appear to be entering a period of greater leadership stability, with boards becoming more cautious about replacing chief executives.

New data from Russell Reynolds Associates shows that 101 CEOs left their positions globally during the first half of 2026, down from 118 during the same period in 2025. It was the lowest first-half departure figure in the firm's nine-year tracking history. At the same time, 130 CEOs were appointed, broadly in line with the long-term average.

The change suggests that boards are placing greater value on experience, continuity and proven leadership. Among incoming CEOs, 23% had previously served as chief executive of a publicly listed company—the highest proportion recorded for the first half of a year in the report's nine-year dataset.

Longer tenures are reinforcing that shift. CEOs who departed in the first half of 2026 had spent an average of 9 years in their positions, compared with 6.6 years a year earlier. In markets such as the FTSE 100, the average outgoing CEO had served 12.5 years.

The reasoning is understandable. Replacing a CEO is disruptive, particularly while companies are dealing with artificial intelligence, geopolitical uncertainty, changing consumer behaviour and intense competition. Boards may increasingly prefer leaders who already understand the organisation rather than accepting the risks associated with a completely new executive.

That does not mean CEOs are becoming untouchable. Research from PwC shows that CEO changes can improve performance, but replacing a leader is not automatically a solution to weak results.

For boards, the emerging lesson is less about keeping CEOs indefinitely and more about making leadership changes when there is a clear strategic reason to do so. In 2026, experience may simply be carrying more weight than ever.