The New York TimesThe New York Times

Gen X is in charge. Don't make a big deal about it

By Emma Goldberg

07 Jul 2023 · 6 min read

informed Summary

  1. The average age of incoming CEOs is around 54, and as the older generation steps down, Gen X is stepping up, bringing with them a new set of rules and a greater trust in flexible and informal ways of working.

The average age of incoming CEOs is around 54. While American government remains squarely in the hands of baby boomers — and while its leadership, at least in certain branches, becomes noticeably older — corporate boardrooms are undergoing a transition. It’s Gen X’s moment, that generation most known for being crowded out of sweeping cultural age analyses by millennials on one end and boomers on the other.

Or as Patton Oswalt, a Gen X comedian, put it: “Gen X is trending, which probably means that, uh … eh, whatever. Nevermind.”

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