First-time CPOs | Why boards are looking beyond 'traditional' hires for C-suite HR roles

Employers are increasingly turning to external, first-time candidates to fill their Chief People Officer (CPO) vacancies, a report has revealed.

According to a study by Eton Bridge Partners, which analysed nearly 15,000 global CPO appointments, only 53% of all CPO hires in 2025 were so-called experienced applicants, i.e. those who had done the role previously – down from 73% in 2023.

Meanwhile, the number of external appointments surged from 52% in 2023 to 71% in 2025.

Olivia Sharp, Partner at Eton Bridge – an executive search consultancy – described it as a “clear shift in how organisations are thinking about people leadership.”