“ The boom in the economy of the CEO concerts ”: the turnover in the local office has been the highest in decades, the report finds

This wave of outings is not just an aberrant statistical value, says the company. More than ever, companies are counting on temporary leaders, and the short -term rotating door has become so common that the most paid angle office is increasingly like a work of “concert economy”, said Challenger, adding: “2025 marks the rise in the CEO’s concert economy”.

CEO as concert workers

Until June 2025, 33% of newly appointed CEOs had entered their role on a provisional basis, against only 9% during the same period last year. Many of these leaders, including veterans who have sailed on businesses through the COVVI-19 pandemic, come back to guide companies on their own conditions, by choosing flexible mandates based on projects on multi-year engagement formerly standard.

“With increasing uncertainty through the economy, the displacement of business values such as DEI, the impact of prices, potential deregulation, the evolution of consumer behavior and the rapid implementation of new technologies such as AI, the identification of the good leader for long -term success is increasingly difficult,” said Andy Challenger, Labor and Expert of the place of work at Challenger Christmas.

The temporary roles offer both organizations and executives a strategic advantage: companies quickly acquire agility and new perspectives; The frames gain and maintain flexibility.

The perils of the Economy of C-Suite Concerts

There are real risks for a concert approach from the local office. Teams led by an interim CEO or in the short term may have trouble confidence, long -term cohesion and cultural stability. “When the teams know that their chief could leave at any time,” notes Andy Challenger, “it is more difficult to build a lasting cohesion or confidence.” Frequent turnover can disrupt culture, decrease morale and trigger a higher attrition of employees – especially if the staff considers that their voices are not heard or if the priorities are constant.

Another net trend is the uniform division between internal and external temporary CEOs: 53% were selected within the organization, while 47% came from outside. When the provisional roles become permanent, internal and external candidates also behave: 20% of each has finally won the role in the long term.

The increase in the work of the CEOs’ concerts contrasts with another change: the delay rate of new women CEO. Only 25% of new CEOs appointed in 2025 are women, compared to 28% last year.

Industries with an increase in turnover

Some sectors have been particularly affected. The government / non -profit space is leading (or trails), with 256 CEO to go out to June at 1.6% higher than the 252 outings from last year to the first half. The space has seen the highest turnover of the two years.

Then there is a great drop in technology, with 138 CEO departures until June, one of the highest monthly totals of the year; Turnover also represented an increase of 16% compared to 2024. Health care / products saw 121 outputs, an increase of 20% compared to 2024. Hospitals, a subset, saw 68 departures, up 3%. Financial companies have had 76 CEOs that come out the year up to date, an increase of 29% from one year to another.

This upheaval reflects broad changes – rapid technological changes, pressures on traditional leadership models – which transform the role of the CEO into something more fluid, flexible and, more and more temporary. At that time of leadership of “concert economy”, organizations and managers face new rules – and new risks – by sailing in the future of the C.

For this story, Fortune Used a generative AI to help an initial project. An editor checked the accuracy of the information before the publication.