Editorial
careers
The MBA and international experience: pre-requisites for CEOs?
By Ross Geraghty
EOs are taking less time to get the
C
very top and the MBA is helping
executives reach the boardroom
more than ever before, according
to exclusive research released in
summer 2008. In addition, the research shows,
financiers have replaced marketers as the dominant
track for getting to the C-Suite, some international
experience - but not too much - is a must and that
the MBA is more than ever a career accelerator for
those with ambitions of reaching the boardroom.
The research conducted by Professor Monika
Hamori (PhD, Wharton) from IE Business School
in Madrid, Spain, is the most comprehensive study
of its kind into the career trajectories and habits of
the world’s top CEOs. Focussing on ten top level
executives from each company in the Fortune 100
between 1980 and 2001 the research, featured in
the Harvard Business Review, shows the profile
and career path of modern executives and the role
the MBA played in those careers.
The statistics show that CEOs in 2001 had
completed almost 2% more education - 17.3 years
on average than the 17.0 years of their 1980
counterparts. More time behind a school desk
translates to more time at the top tier in most
corporates as, increasingly, younger executives
found themselves in the C-Suite towards the end
of the century. In 2001 the average age of a CEO
was 52 compared to 56 in 1980.
MBA retains relevance
There are regional differences here too. The Europe. 34% of European CEOs who are 45 years 23% in 1980 and 26.6% in 2001, a slight increase.
average age of a European CEO is just over 54 or younger are MBA graduates, while the figure is However, the overall number of law and business
years against the US average of 56.2. Europe also only 10% among CEOs who are 55 and older.” second degrees increased across the two time
has a higher percentage of CEOs in the 45 years She continues: “The second piece of evidence periods. While in 1980 there were 187 law and
and below bracket (14%) as well as the 46-55 comes from the study of 1980 and 2001 top business second degrees earned, in 2001 we have
segment (41%) than 307 executives with law
the US. One reason for and business second
this discrepancy may
“More time behind a school desk translated to
degrees.”
be the time spent by There is a marked
US executives
more time at the top tier in most corporates as,
upward trend in the
completing their MBAs numbers of business
- the research shows
increasingly, younger executives found themselves
educated CEOs in the
that far more US CEOs world, due to the
(38%) have MBAs than
in the C-Suite towards the end of the century.”
proliferation of MBA
their European programs and the need for
counterparts (16%). educated business leaders
So it looks, from in places that are further
the evidence of recent CEOs that the MBA is set executives. Statistically, in the type of second afield. As a result, international experience is
to keep its relevance, says Professor Hamori: “The degrees, graduate or masters, earned by the Fortune extremely important in reaching the top, though
fact is that the proportion of MBA graduates is 100 top executives in the two time periods, the Professor Hamori provides a slight word of warning.
growing among the younger generation CEOs in percentage of business and law masters degrees was “International experience is not just necessary, but
28 TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com
MBA_FALL_08_pp_002-065.indd 28 11/8/08 18:14:07
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