No COO exits recorded in Q1 amidst stable trend

The Q1 result aligns with Hong Kong and Japan, both of which also reported no COO exits during the period.

Singapore recorded zero Chief Operating Officer (COO) departures in the first quarter of 2025, maintaining a consistent trend of C-suite stability that sets the city-state apart from global markets, according to the latest Global COO Turnover Index by Russell Reynolds Associates.

The data, which covers listed companies across major stock indices, showed that Singapore’s COO turnover has remained between 0 to 2 departures per quarter since 2019.

The Q1 result aligns with Hong Kong and Japan, both of which also reported no COO exits during the period.

Globally, however, the picture is different. Whilst COO departures dipped from 35 in Q1 2024 to 24 in Q1 2025, the global turnover rate still stands at 1.3%, compared to 0% across Asia. The industrial sector alone accounted for half of those global exits.

The report highlighted that this trend extends beyond COOs. Singapore and the broader Asia region also showed among the lowest global turnover rates for Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), with CHRO turnover below 1% and CFO turnover down 24% YoY from 2023 to 2024.

Globally, COO roles remain relatively short-lived, with an average tenure of 3.8 years in Q1 2025—well below the average for other C-suite roles: 7.8 years for CEOs, 6.2 years for CFOs, and 6.1 years for CHROs. Nonetheless, the report noted 22% of CEO hires in 2024 came from the COO role.

Internal promotion continues to dominate COO appointments. In Q1 2025, 81% of COOs globally were hired internally, a rise from 68.5% in 2024 and above the six-year average of 73%. This figure hit 100% in the healthcare and tech sectors.

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