According to a new study by international recruitment firm Robert Half, 55% of FTSE (Financial Times Stock Exchange) 100 CEOs have a background in finance.

The research shows that 21% of FTSE 100 CEOs have a background in retail/hospitality while 15% have a background in engineering/natural resources, 15% in marketing and 14% in technology. Meanwhile, 23% of CEOs are qualified Chartered Accountants.

The 2016 annual Robert Half FTSE 100 CEO Tracker shows that the average tenure of Britain’s top bosses is five years and three months, with the longest tenure record currently held for more than 30 years. The majority (66%) of today’s CEOs move from a senior role in the same industry, showing continuing importance placed on building up a credible understanding of a single sector when aiming to move into a C-suite role. 

“In these increasingly complex global operating environments, leaders who are able to traverse the commercial landscape while maintaining strong fiscal responsibility are in greatest demand,” Phil Sheridan, Senior Managing Director of Robert Half UK, said. “This trend is supported by this year’s findings where experience within a single industry combined with a foundation in finance is what organisations seek from those taking the helm.”

The majority (60%) of FTSE 100 CEOs are British citizens, yet 20 different nationalities are represented at the top of the UK’s largest companies, including leaders from South Africa, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

From an education point of view, a fifth (18%) of FTSE 100 CEOs are Oxbridge educated, down 1% from the previous year and more than a quarter (28%) have an MBA or Ph.D., down four points from last year.

“Executives within every sector are seeking ways to continue meeting their own business goals in the face of external influences including growing regulatory frameworks and geopolitical uncertainty,” Sheridan said. “As the leaders of Britain’s largest and most successful businesses, the individuals heading up these organisations can collectively influence the direction, confidence and economic prosperity of the wider UK economy.”