CFO hires increasing; average age of hires decreasing

If the first half of 2026 is any indication, opportunities for CFO roles at large companies are on the rise — and younger candidates are getting a closer look.

The midyear Crist | Kolder Associates Volatility Report projects an 18.3% CFO turnover rate at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies over the entirety of 2026, a level of turnover last surpassed in 2019. The CFO turnover rate in 2025 was a similarly robust 18.1%.

The average age of the 72 CFO hires made halfway through 2026 was 48.2 years old, down from an average of 51.9 years for 2025 hires. That’s lower than any average age in the previous 10 years of the report, which debuted nearly a quarter-century ago.

So far in 2026, the percentage of CFO hires via internal promotions has eased to 62.5% after spiking to 65% in 2025, but the rate remains above the average of 61% over the previous 10 years.

Other midyear trends related to leadership at large companies:

• 28.2% of sitting CFOs as of July 31 came directly from another CFO seat into their current role, up from 24.8% at the end of 2025.
• 17% of CFOs midyear 2026 were women (up from 16.5% at the end of 2025), and 14.4% of CFOs midyear 2026 were ethnically and racially diverse (down from 14.7% at the end of 2025).
• On the CEO side, 13.3% of sitting CEOs midyear 2026 came directly from another CEO seat, and more than a quarter of those were placed as the result of a merger. Also, 9.6% of CEOs midyear 2026 were women (up from 9.1% at the end of 2025), and 15.2% midyear 2026 were ethnically and racially diverse (up from 14.6% at the end of 2025).

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Bryan Strickland at Bryan.Strickland@aicpa-cima.com.