Leadership within S&P 500 companies reveals a striking demographic trend: there is a 55-year gap between the youngest and oldest individuals in top positions — yet leaders under the age of 45 hold less than 1% of roles.
When examining the age distribution across executive and board roles, Denominator’s data reveals a clear generational skew. Leadership remains concentrated among baby boomers and Generation X, with boards of directors notably older than their executive counterparts.
📊 Key statistics on age in leadership:
- More than half of executives and board members are aged 65 or older, suggesting a strong presence of senior leadership.
- Board members are, on average, nine years older than executive team members.
- The average age of S&P 500 executives is 57, compared to 66 for board members.
🌐 Global comparison:
When compared to global indices, S&P 500 boards are significantly older:
- Board members in the FTSE 100 average 3 years younger
- Those in MSCI Emerging Markets average 6 years younger
- The average S&P 500 leader is over 14 years older than the general working population — a gap that reaches 20 years in Asia
Why does this matter?
In today’s fast-moving corporate environment — especially amid technological shifts driven by AI and automation — leadership agility and cross-generational insight are more important than ever. Despite increasing focus on gender, racial, and cognitive diversity, age diversity is still often overlooked.
This raises critical questions:
- Is an aging leadership base a competitive advantage, offering wisdom and stability?
- Or could it hinder innovation, adaptability, and resonance with a younger workforce?
The answers may depend on industry-specific needs, company culture, and the age profile of the broader employee base. But what’s clear is that age diversity deserves a seat at the DEI table.
What’s next?
At Denominator, we are committed to driving insights around inclusive corporate governance. In the coming months, we’ll be diving deeper into age-related dynamics in leadership, including how age intersects with other factors such as gender.
💫 Stay tuned for the next #DenominatorFacts, where we explore how gender influences the age distribution across S&P 500 boards and executive teams.
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