On the JSE, founding CEOs outlive professional managers – by a mile

By Alec Hogg

Yesterday, I shared some of my research into the JSE’s Top 100 Company CEOs. Here are some more interesting facts. The group has an average age of 54, and a median period of service of four years. Which tells us that if you’re a professional manager aiming for the corner office and haven’t been installed by the time you turn 50, chances are you won’t be.

Unless, of course, you start your own company. Then you can start earlier and serve longer. Every one of the 14 longest serving CEOs of big SA listed companies are entrepreneurs – from “Big Daddy” Neil Jowell (82) in Trencor’s saddle for 42 years and runner-up Whitey Basson (69) who has run his business for 36 years, through to number 14 Serge Belamant (61) of Net1 who still drives the company he founded 15 years ago.

A clear message there. If you want to be the CEO for a long time, best you start the company yourself.

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