Is the gig economy still thriving? It certainly is for CEOs. Pairing company leaders like CEOs with the gig economy doesn’t quite feel right, but the high turnover rate among these C-suite executives in the US does suggest that this role is no longer one of permanency. Short-term CEO roles are not traditional, but new data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas suggests that in the first half of 2025, over 1,235 CEOs have left their positions, marking a 12% increase from when the firm first began tracking the data in 2022.
The rise of temporary CEO roles in 2025 involves a mix of international quitting and forced exits, and it has long been known that instability at the top trickles down throughout the organization to prove chaotic for the business at large. Are these disruptions ideal for the company? That’s the question of the hour.
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It Appears the CEO Gig Economy Is Thriving: CEO Turnover Hits Record Highs in 2025
Executive turnover trends provide an interesting study of the state of work and the changes occurring throughout the job market, and while we’ve known that the layoffs have been particularly brutal this year, the CEO gig economy suggests that many leaders are not exempt from change. The Challenger, Gray & Christmas report stated that the number of CEO exits in the US in the month of June went up to 207, which marks a 23% increase from the 168 who vacated their posts in May.
While this rise is still lower than the 234 who departed in June 2024, a month-by-month analysis doesn’t convey the full picture. Reportedly, in the first half of 2025, 1,235 CEOs exited their organizations. These numbers are what prompted Challenger to bring up the idea of the CEO gig economy.
There Is Uncertainty at the Top, with No Clear Leader to Set Things Right
The numbers don’t end there. In June 2025, around 33% of new CEOs were appointed to their positions only on an interim basis, compared to the 9% in 2024. The data also showed that many of them were returning leaders who were asked to take charge of the company temporarily to bring the organization back on track, using their past experiences to guide the businesses once more.
Understandably, this gives leaders some legroom and flexibility in addition to the other benefits they enjoy from the CEO role, but this does create an unstable dynamic for workers who have to relearn an incumbent leader’s way of operating the business, only to have matters change hands once more.
An internally hired leader is typically better than an outsider to the business in such cases, and the Challenger data also indicates that the hirings are fairly balanced, but there are more CEOs being promoted internally (53%) rather than externally (47%). It is good to see that organizations are still looking at internal ascensions as a real option, however, the numbers do indicate that oftentimes, interim CEOs are hired from the section of the population that is unfamiliar with the organization.
This is likely due to the benefit of receiving a fresh perspective on the state of the business, but it likely increases the time it takes to get work back on track in a way that is satisfactory to the leader.
The Rise of Temporary CEO Roles in 2025 Needs a Closer Look
The CEO gig economy set-up may be a temporary one, as it is hard to imagine that many leaders are eager to let go of their well-paying positions at the top, however, a large part of these leadership decisions are made by investors who want to ride out industry-wide disruptions as quickly as possible. This does mean that the business has to undergo a brief phase of realigning itself with a new leader’s ambitions, goals, and strategies, and some of these come with the promise of job cuts and reorganization efforts.
From Starbucks to Intel, many organizations have opted to replace their leaders in hopes that switching out executives will help the business land on a successful strategy to move forward, but these matters cannot be rushed. The NASA space agency is facing a similar situation where employees are opting to take the voluntary buyouts and leave their posts after budget cuts and business uncertainties have left them with no choice. With no CEO at the top to set things right, the agency is now being led by an interim CEO who has other responsibilities.
These dual role positions are increasingly common, as we’ve seen similar trends across industries as well. Elon Musk’s leadership of Tesla has been repeatedly questioned this year, due to his preoccupation with matters outside of the organization. The lack of stable leadership is not beneficial to an organization, but the CEO gig economy trends suggest we’re going to see more of these numbers in 2025.
Short-Term CEO Roles May Not Be Ideal for the Workforce
CEOs may be able to enjoy participating in the executive gig work trend and move on to other opportunities more easily, but the disruption to the workforce is a matter of concern. The more that leadership positions change hands, the harder it is for employees to be sure of what to expect and how to operate. From shifts in company culture to changes in project prioritizations, there are many unseen effects of a frequently changing C-suite board.
Employees look to their CEOs not just for business direction, but for inspiration, connection, and clarity on the future of the organization. With the CEO gig economy, it can be hard to build these ties, leaving workers alienated from the business. This brings up multiple issues that require time and patience to unravel and address. The frequent change of leadership also normalizes the idea of job hopping, as there are no leaders to tie their loyalties to.
At the end of the day, the rise of temporary CEO roles in 2025 may be good for a business that just wants a temporary shake-up before someone permanent takes over, but there are underlying consequences that need to be considered as well. Too much disruption can negatively affect the atmosphere of the organization, and it’s important to consider the effects before changes are enforced.
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