Experience Over Potential: 69 Percent of Hired CEOs Have Already Held the Top Job

Companies overwhelmingly favor proven leaders, with 69 percent of hired CEOs having prior experience, according to a new ON Partners report. Despite only 40 percent of candidates boasting previous CEO roles, organizations prioritize confidence over risk in top executive hires. Let’s take a closer look as recruiters weigh in.

February 3, 2025 – Organizations are overwhelmingly drawn to CEO candidates who have already navigated the complexities of the top job. While 40 percent of CEO candidates boast prior experience in the role, a staggering 69 percent of those hired have previously served as CEOs, according to findings of a new report by ON Partners. “This emphasis on prior experience reflects a deep organizational need for confidence,” the report said. “Companies are less likely to take risks when selecting their top executives.” Utilizing first- and third-party data, ON Partners analyzed 25,000 candidates and current CEOs to uncover key insights into the evolving landscape of executive leadership.

The report found that the average CEO holds nine roles across seven different companies throughout their career. Certain roles stand out as pivotal. President positions (29.3 percent) are the most common, both as stepping stones to and from the CEO role. Board memberships and advisory roles (26.3 percent) also play a significant part in shaping a CEO’s broader strategic perspective.

Meanwhile, senior leadership positions like General Manager (GM), SVP, or EVP (29.5 percent) often serve as proving grounds for operational and leadership capabilities. Roles like CFO (5.7 percent), CRO (4.6 percent), and CMO (3.8 percent)—while less common overall—remain critical in specific industries, reflecting the varied skill sets needed across sectors.

The Pathway to CEO Hiring Varies by Asset Class

Public companies prioritize candidates with broad leadership experience and an ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, according to the ON Partners report. For these organizations, the study found that roles like SVP, EVP, GM, and president are often springboards to the CEO position.

In venture capital-backed companies, the focus shifts. ON Partners explained that these fast-paced environments demand operational expertise and growth-oriented leadership, often favoring candidates who have served as COOs or CROs. The emphasis is on leaders who can drive rapid scaling and execution.

Related: The Evolving Path to the C-Suite

“Private equity-backed and privately held organizations, on the other hand, strike a balance between operational know-how and strategic vision,” the ON Partners report said. “They tend to look for candidates who have already demonstrated success as CEOs or presidents while valuing hands-on leadership experience.”

The Impact of Company Size

Beyond industry and ownership structure, company size plays a defining role in shaping leadership requirements for CEO hiring. “Smaller organizations, particularly those with fewer than 100 employees, often seek leaders with deep functional expertise,” the ON Partners report explained. “These CEOs are more likely to come from roles like COO, where hands-on operational experience is a hallmark.”

Medium-sized companies, which typically range from 100 to 1,000 employees, require leaders who can bridge scaling and strategy, according to the ON Partners report. These organizations tend to favor candidates with a mix of operational experience and prior CEO roles, preparing them to navigate growth challenges while maintaining a strategic outlook.


Unveiling the CEO’s Ultimate Role: Why Ensuring the Right Leader is Key to Organizational Success

In the ongoing debate about the CEO’s most crucial role, many experts highlight various aspects such as strategy, culture, vision, and shareholder value. Despite these discussions, Price Harding and CarterBaldwin believe that the essence of effective leadership boils down to one critical responsibility: ensuring that the right CEO is at the helm. This article explores why this fundamental role, often overlooked, is pivotal to maximizing all other aspects of leadership and organizational success.


“For larger organizations with over 1,000 employees, the stakes—and the expectations—are even higher,” the study said. “These companies often demand seasoned executives with extensive leadership experience, including prior CEO and president roles. The ability to manage complexity and lead at scale becomes paramount.”

Search Experts Weigh In

“Many executives aiming for a CEO role focus on leading a $500 million company or larger, but there’s often a lack of awareness about the value of starting smaller,” said Brad Westveld, ON Partners’ co-founder and partner. “Securing that first CEO role—even at a $100 million company—can be a critical step in building the experience and credibility needed to lead at a larger scale down the road.”

Related: A Look at How the CEO Role is Evolving 

“In niche industries, deep expertise and strong relationships often outweigh prior CEO experience,” said Tara Flickinger, partner. “In two recent PE searches, both hires were first-time CEOs chosen for their intimate industry knowledge— critical for companies late in their hold periods with no time for a learning curve.”

“Checking the right boxes for your first CEO opportunity; deep industry expertise, company size, GTM overlap, or successful work history with the board—is critical,” said Jake Espenlaub, partners. “The reality is, if your first CEO opportunity isn’t successful, it can reset your timeline for another shot at a similar role, regardless of the circumstances. Taking the time to align your strengths with the right opportunity can make all the difference in building a lasting CEO trajectory.”

“For those aiming to step into their first CEO role, don’t be discouraged by the preference for prior experience—many first-time CEOs deliver exceptional results,” said Tim Conti, co-president. “To prepare, focus on owning a true P&L and demonstrating accountability for financial outcomes. Successful P&L leadership is key to earning a board’s confidence.”

“For those aspiring to the corner office, the message is clear: experience, adaptability, and strategic focus are essential,” said Bryan Buck, managing partner. “While the path to leadership may not be linear, understanding the trends can help you position yourself effectively. Building a career that includes diverse roles, operational expertise, and opportunities to influence strategy at the highest levels is key. For hiring organizations, these insights offer a blueprint for identifying leaders who align with their specific needs. By understanding how company type, size, and strategic priorities influence leadership profiles, organizations can make more informed choices about who will guide their future.”

With a primary focus on technology, consumer, industrial, and the life science sectors, ON Partners recruits C-level and board talent for public and private companies, as well as venture capital and private equity firms. Founded in 2006, the firm’s consultants work from offices in Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Menlo Park, CA; Minneapolis. MN; San Francisco; and New York. ON Partners was named one of the fastest growing search firms this year by Hunt Scanlon Media. The firm is now ranked as one of the 20 largest search firms in the nation.

Related: The Skills That Help CEOs Make the Right Choices

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

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