Nearly One in Five FTSE 100 Chief Executives Now Lives Abroad, Underscoring London’s Globalised Boardrooms
An FT analysis reveals that 19 of the United Kingdom’s top 100 listed company CEOs reside outside Britain amid growing internationalisation of business leadership
Almost one in five chief executives of the United Kingdom’s largest listed companies now lives outside the country, highlighting how globalised leadership has become at the highest echelons of British business.
An analysis of official filings shows that nineteen CEOs of firms in the FTSE 100 index list their country of residence as locations including the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Italy rather than the UK. The trend comes as London’s stock market competes to retain and attract major firms while many generating the bulk of their revenues overseas.
Senior executives cited as resident abroad include leaders of companies such as equipment rental group Ashtead, Paddy Power owner Flutter and building materials maker CRH, all of which have shifted their primary listings or strategic focus to New York or other international markets in recent years.
The pattern has fuelled debate about the FTSE 100’s effectiveness as a barometer of British corporate strength, given that more than seventy-five per cent of revenues among these companies is derived from outside the UK. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Experts interviewed in the analysis argue that CEOs living overseas may be less emotionally anchored to maintaining headquarters or primary listings in the UK, even as companies expand globally.
Five of the expatriate CEOs list the United States as their country of residence, including the chief executive of Barclays.
Some executives, such as the head of Informa, relocated to the United Arab Emirates to better support business growth in key regions.
Others split their time across markets, balancing family considerations and operational priorities.
Recruiters say the trend reflects broader demands for international experience and board diversity, with chairpersons and CEOs increasingly drawn from a global talent pool.
A separate report found that thirty-six per cent of FTSE 100 chief executives are non-British nationals and twenty-one per cent of chairs are foreign nationals, underscoring the cosmopolitan nature of Britain’s leading firms.
The findings have reignited discussion among investors, policymakers and business leaders about how to preserve the London market’s appeal while accommodating the realities of globally distributed leadership.
An analysis of official filings shows that nineteen CEOs of firms in the FTSE 100 index list their country of residence as locations including the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Italy rather than the UK. The trend comes as London’s stock market competes to retain and attract major firms while many generating the bulk of their revenues overseas.
Senior executives cited as resident abroad include leaders of companies such as equipment rental group Ashtead, Paddy Power owner Flutter and building materials maker CRH, all of which have shifted their primary listings or strategic focus to New York or other international markets in recent years.
The pattern has fuelled debate about the FTSE 100’s effectiveness as a barometer of British corporate strength, given that more than seventy-five per cent of revenues among these companies is derived from outside the UK. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Experts interviewed in the analysis argue that CEOs living overseas may be less emotionally anchored to maintaining headquarters or primary listings in the UK, even as companies expand globally.
Five of the expatriate CEOs list the United States as their country of residence, including the chief executive of Barclays.
Some executives, such as the head of Informa, relocated to the United Arab Emirates to better support business growth in key regions.
Others split their time across markets, balancing family considerations and operational priorities.
Recruiters say the trend reflects broader demands for international experience and board diversity, with chairpersons and CEOs increasingly drawn from a global talent pool.
A separate report found that thirty-six per cent of FTSE 100 chief executives are non-British nationals and twenty-one per cent of chairs are foreign nationals, underscoring the cosmopolitan nature of Britain’s leading firms.
The findings have reignited discussion among investors, policymakers and business leaders about how to preserve the London market’s appeal while accommodating the realities of globally distributed leadership.
