CISO Tenure and Turnover Drivers: A Study of Executive Security Leadership
APA Citation
Gallagher, T. & Nguyen, L. (2024). CISO Tenure and Turnover Drivers: A Study of Executive Security Leadership. *MIS Quarterly*. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2024/18234
View original paper →What Did This Cybersecurity Research Find?
This cybersecurity executive leadership study analyzed the tenure and departure reasons of 300 CISOs across Fortune 1000 companies. Cybersecurity chief information security officers had a median tenure of 26 months, with insufficient board-level support and budget constraints cited as the top two departure triggers, ahead of burnout and better external opportunities.
Key Findings
- 1Median CISO tenure was 26 months at Fortune 1000 companies
- 2Insufficient board-level support was the top departure driver (58% of voluntary exits)
- 3Budget constraints that prevented strategic initiatives ranked second (51%)
- 4CISOs reporting directly to the CEO stayed 14 months longer than those reporting to the CIO
- 5Organizations that experienced a breach during the CISO tenure saw 43% longer retention (counter-intuitively, breaches increased budget and support)
How Does This Apply to Cybersecurity Careers?
Aspiring CISOs can set expectations for the realities of the role and evaluate employers based on board-level support indicators. Organizations can address the structural factors that drive expensive CISO turnover.
Who Should Read This?
Frequently Asked Questions
What did this cybersecurity research find?
This cybersecurity executive leadership study analyzed the tenure and departure reasons of 300 CISOs across Fortune 1000 companies. Cybersecurity chief information security officers had a median tenure of 26 months, with insufficient board-level support and budget constraints cited as the top two departure triggers, ahead of burnout and better external opportunities.
How is this research relevant to cybersecurity careers?
Aspiring CISOs can set expectations for the realities of the role and evaluate employers based on board-level support indicators. Organizations can address the structural factors that drive expensive CISO turnover.
Where was this cybersecurity research published?
This study was published in MIS Quarterly in 2024. The DOI is 10.25300/MISQ/2024/18234. Access the original paper through the publisher link above.
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