Business
APAC COO exits fall 71% while CHRO appointments remain below 7-year average: Report
Companies appear reluctant to change operating leadership unless performance issues are clear, viewing stability in the COO role as critical to executing long-term transformation strategies.
Leadership movement across Asia Pacific’s C-suite slowed in 2025, with companies prioritising stability, internal succession, and first-time leaders for key roles, according to new analysis from Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA).
The firm's latest data shows that while Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) appointments continued across the region, turnover remained relatively low compared to global markets, reflecting a broader focus on continuity amid economic uncertainty and transformation pressures.
CHRO and COO appointments remain below historical averages
According to the report, 37 CHROs were appointed in APAC in 2025, below the seven-year average of 43. Meanwhile, COO appointments in the region fell to 27, a 21% year-over-year decline and slightly below the seven-year average of 29.
This contrasts with global trends, where COO appointments reached a record 146 in 2025, driven largely by companies adding or formalising the COO role as transformation initiatives grow more complex.
Australia led CHRO appointments in APAC with 18, followed by India with 10, Japan with six, and Hong Kong with three. Singapore recorded zero CHRO turnover for the second consecutive year, highlighting leadership stability in the market.
For COO roles, Australia again led with 19 appointments, followed by Japan with five, Singapore with two and Hong Kong with one.
COO exits drop sharply as companies prioritise stability
One of the most notable trends was the sharp drop in COO exits across APAC. The region recorded just 10 COO exits in 2025, down from 35 in 2024 — a 71% decline.
Globally, COO exits also fell significantly, dropping to 65 from 134 the previous year, well below the seven-year average.
The report suggests this reflects CEOs’ preference for leadership continuity as organisations navigate geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain challenges, and large-scale AI and digital transformation initiatives. Companies appear reluctant to change operating leadership unless performance issues are clear, viewing stability in the COO role as critical to executing long-term transformation strategies.
Outgoing COO tenure globally also increased to 4.1 years in 2025, the highest since tracking began in 2019, rising further to 4.7 years in the second half of the year.
First-time leaders dominate CHRO and COO appointments
The data also shows a strong shift toward first-time leaders and internal promotions across both roles.
In APAC:
65% of incoming CHROs were first-time CHROs
85% of incoming COOs were first-time COOs
67% of COO hires were internal promotions
51% of CHRO appointments were internal hires
The trend was most pronounced in Hong Kong and Japan, where every CHRO appointment was a first-time leader, and in Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, where all COO appointments were first-time COOs.
Michelle Chan Crouse, Managing Director at Russell Reynolds Associates, said leadership transitions often prompt CEOs to reassess their CHRO partnerships, particularly as the role expands to support enterprise transformation and organisational culture.
For COO roles, Vijuraj Eranazhath, who leads the Operations Officers Practice in Asia, noted that companies increasingly prefer internal executives who understand the business end-to-end and can mobilise teams quickly, particularly as the COO role becomes more closely tied to enterprise transformation and AI adoption.
COO role becoming more strategic globally
Globally, the report found that the COO role is becoming increasingly central to transformation agendas. The S&P 500 was a major driver of the rise in COO appointments, with 60 incoming COOs in 2025, up from 39 in 2024, while FTSE 100 COO appointments nearly doubled year-over-year.
The data suggests companies increasingly view the COO not as an optional role but as a structural response to the growing complexity of transformation, operational change, and AI-driven business models.
COOs are now emerging as de facto leaders of enterprise transformation, with responsibility for translating strategy into operational execution and measurable results.
What this means for CEOs
The firm advised CEOs to begin succession planning for CHRO and COO roles three to five years in advance, define future role mandates clearly, and prioritise internal candidates where transformation knowledge and organisational context are critical.
The report concludes that while turnover remains low, expectations for both CHROs and COOs are rising, particularly as organisations continue navigating volatility, digital transformation, and AI-driven change.
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