Singapore CEOs outlast global peers with longest tenure

APAC has recorded 59 CEO departures year to date, with Japan accounting for 48% of exits.

Singapore’s listed-company chief executive officers have the longest average tenure in Asia-Pacific, serving 8.8 years before departure, according to a report from Russell Reynolds Associates.

This is significantly longer than the regional average of 5.9 years for outgoing APAC CEOs and also surpasses the global average of 7.2 years, highlighting Singapore’s relative stability in executive leadership. By contrast, Hong Kong CEOs have an average tenure of just 3.7 years.

Across the region, CEO churn remains elevated. APAC has recorded 59 CEO departures year to date, with Japan accounting for 48% of exits.

In the third quarter, the region saw 12 CEO departures, 10 of which were in Australia. Globally, CEO departures are up 5% from a year earlier, reaching an eight-year high.

Boards are offsetting heightened turnover with a strong focus on internal succession. 83% of new CEO appointments in APAC this year have been internal promotions, compared with 72% globally.

At the same time, companies are showing greater willingness to install new leadership: 97% of incoming APAC CEOs are first-time chiefs, versus 88% worldwide.

The index covers listed companies on the ASX 200, Hang Seng Index, Nikkei 225, Nifty 50, and Straits Times Index.

Russell Reynolds Associates said the trends point to APAC boards deepening succession pipelines, relying more on internal elevation, and tapping first-time leaders to balance stability with transformation.

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