by The year 2019 has been intense in appointments in the domes of the largest Spanish companies. Among the 35 listed on the selective Ibex, 3 have been appointed new managing directors: Roberto Garcia Merino in Red Eléctrica, Carlos Crespo in Inditex and Ignacio Madridejos in Ferrovial. And just started 2020, IAG has announced that it will change its chief executive by the Spanish Luis Gallego. This despite the fact that the tenure of the spaniards is superior to the rest of the countries analyzed in the report, Route To The Top 2019 prepared by the firm of selection of management Heidrick & Struggles.

The role of the chief executive of the large listed companies is changing because the world is changing. Their roles are expanding as not only are you required to know how to manage the account of results, but need experience in business transformation, know how to handle new channels, to communicate with the consumer; have knowledge of environmental, regulatory, governance and social networks, explains Pilar Santiago, an associate director of the talent in Spain. And not only that: we are searching for inspirational leaders, resilient in order to undertake the digital transformation and to build trust among the staff, as well as in the rest of groups of interest. In short, the role of the ceo is increasingly becoming like that of an orchestra conductor.

that's why your profile is rejuvenated, it is more important to your baggage international and the management of diversity. 21% of the 906 first executives of the largest companies which fluctuate on the stock Exchanges of the united States, China, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and so on until the 16 countries, were less than 45 years old when he made his appointment, a percentage that in Spain reaches up to 25 per cent, according to the report. It is a recent trend that causes currently only nine first swords of the Ibex 35 have more than 60 years and only three have passed the age of retirement (Ignacio Sanchez Galan, Iberdrola; Lakshmi Mittal, ArcelorMittal and Paolo Vasile, Mediaset). Yes, none exceeds 70 years, as in the united STATES —the country with executives more long-lived— Australia, France and Germany. In contrast, 17 have less than 55 years.

21% of The top executives world ascends before the age of 45. In Spain, 25%

Youth and resistance in the post are, as in 2018, the notes outstanding of the ceos spaniards in front of their international counterparts. Two of them, Gabriel Escarrer, from Meliá, and Paolo Vasile, Mediaset carry 20 years on the job, while 17 of the heads of the Ibex were appointed for five years or less. And 29 of the 35 from the occurrence of the Great Recession, from 2009.

gone are the ceos hiperjerárquicos and distant 30 years ago, currently they do lack leaders, motivators and very powerful in communication to address the digital transformation and to respond to the new ways of working. “Today they are open-minded and with enough confidence to show vulnerability,” says the headhunter. Empathy and the ability to build trust have become key factors for skippering the organizations in an uncertain environment and changing as the current.

Well known as Gabriel Escarrer, ceo “unique” Meliá hotels International since 2009. In his 48 years, ensures that the youth has allowed him to skippering processes of cultural transformation very ambitious in a hotel company where the average age is 33 years. The digitization would have been much more expensive if Escarrer had not interacted before with the technology, as would be the case with their predecessors. In his opinion, the new ceos put the focus on the people and champion the inspirational leadership. “You have to compensate for the lack of political leadership. The new generations are demanding companies to innovative leadership”, he argues.

“The executives we have to talk about values, intangibles, and focus on the people, the diversity and internationalization, in addition to making businesses more responsible”, he says. The fourth industrial revolution, adds Escarrer, precise management, flexible, in-service training (about 10% of your time dedicated to be updated), humble, and next. Able to communicate quickly with their employees and show a certain degree of vulnerability, he says.

48 women

Despite the growing importance of diversity in organizations, in the case of gender there is still a long way to go. Leave it aside poses a risk to the reputation of companies, warns Heidrick & Struggles. In the 16 countries analyzed, 4% of the appointments of 2019 have been female, so that the average of women between the 906 ceos studied only scratches the surface of the 5%. Has increased a point since the previous year, while for the first time all States have organizations commanded by an executive. In total, 48 women are so many other listed companies: 10 are French, 8 americans, 7 british, 6 australian and 4 Norwegian, the best represented. Nine countries have a single chief executive officer. Between them, Spain, with María Dolores Dancausa to the front of Bankinter. This despite the fact that the top executives are younger than men (29% have less than 50 years, compared to 15% male) and have a higher level of education (71% have advanced studies in comparison with 58% of them).

In the leaderships of the organizations also grows the number of foreigners (in Spain there are six), and decrease the founders of companies (and only two, those of ArcelorMittal and MásMóvil) about 15 years ago. And is that the modern times demand another class of leaders.

So are the chinese leaders

this Is the first time that Heidrick & Struggles analyzed the domes business in china, where he is the ceo youngest of the 16 countries, with 31 years (Wang Xiaosong, of Seazen Holdings). Although the age at reaching the position is less than 50 years in 41% of cases, compared to 45 per cent in the world. Only 1% of leaders of listed companies in the asian giant is female, the lowest percentage of all. The same happens with the aliens at the front of organizations in china, are the other 1%, as the local with international experience. His tenure is lower than the national average. The 47% is less than five years, in contrast with the 23% overall. And his previous experience in managing committees is also lower.