Opportunities for CFO Hopefuls
According to a report on large company executive turnover, there is a trend of hiring internal candidates for vacant CFO seats.
Less than one-quarter of sitting CFOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies came into their current role directly from another CFO chair, as stated in the midyear Crist Kolder Associates Volatility Report.
- 23.2% of sitting CFOs arrived directly from another CFO role, excluding those placed as part of mergers.
- External hiring was down 40% in the first half of 2025, standing at 28.2% compared to 47.1% in 2024.
This shift towards internal hiring means more opportunities for current employees to ascend to the CFO role, particularly in the financial industry where all CFO hires in the first half of 2025 were internal candidates.
Opportunity is knocking for finance professionals seeking a CFO role.
Author's summary: CFO hopefuls have more promotion opportunities.