Does Health Correlate with Becoming a CEO?

apr. 07, 2024

On this International Health Day, we highlight a study that looks into the health of CEOs in Sweden, comparing them to the average person and people in other high-skilled jobs. It found that there is a strong correlation between mental and physical health and becoming a CEO, and that poor health often leads to CEO turnover.

The study by Swedish House of Finance Affiliated Researcher Joacim Tåg, together with Matti Keloharju (Aalto University), Samuli Knufer (CEPR) also found:

• The larger the firm, the healthier the CEO.
• In large firms, CEO health doesn't affect company performance; in small firms, it does.
• Corporate wellness programs can mitigate health-related career obstacles.
• CEOs are healthier than the general population.

Watch the interview with Joacim Tåg to learn more about the study. You can read the paper here.