Singapore maintains zero chief HR officer turnover for two years running

The city-state also saw two COO appointments in 2025.

Singapore recorded zero Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) turnover for two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, according to a Russell Reynolds Associates report.

The city-state also reported two Chief Operating Officer (COO) appointments in 2025, with 100% of COO appointments made to first-time leaders.

Across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, CHRO appointments totalled 37 in 2025, below the seven-year average of 43, whilst COO appointments fell 21% year on year (YoY) to 27.

This compares with a global rise in COO appointments to 146, the highest level since tracking began in 2019, the report added.

Regionally, COO exits declined to 10 in 2025 from 35 in 2024, whilst CHRO appointments rose 6% YoY but remained below historical averages. First-time leaders accounted for 85% of COO appointments and 65% of CHRO appointments across APAC.

Companies in the region continued to rely on internal pipelines, with 67% of COO appointments and 51% of CHRO appointments filled internally.

The report said leadership stability and internal promotion trends reflect CEO priorities around continuity and execution amidst artificial intelligence-driven transformation and operational complexity.

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Russell Reynolds Associates

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