Many companies are hiring new CHROs to lead them through AI transformation

Companies are going through lots of changes, starting in the C-suite.

The majority of global CHRO appointments (56%) were external hires in Q1 2026, up from 46% in Q1 2025, according to new research from leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA). And, in the S&P 500, external CHRO appointments hit 67% last quarter, up from 30% YoY.

Many CHRO changes are happening on the heels of new CEO appointments, Ted Moore, managing director and global lead of the HR practice at RRA, told HR Brew. There were 77 CEO appointments globally in Q1 2026, RRA’s research found, the highest number since the firm started tracking this data in 2018.

“What’s happening is a new CEO looks around, and one of the first things they need to do is say, if they think of the triumvirate, me leading the business, CFO in charge of the dollars and the finances, CHRO in charge of the people,” Moore said. “Sometimes there’s a sense of, ‘I need new blood,’ and…there isn’t a blueprint on how to do this AI version.”

Newly minted CEOs also want CHROs who can help them navigate some of the biggest workforce challenges caused by AI, he said. Just as their skills developed to lead workers through the pandemic, CHROs will need to develop other skills in anticipation of organizational needs, and design a workforce that meets those needs today and in the future.

“The job is so uniquely different that I’m willing, at some points, to take a bet,” he said. “Or find someone first time to step up in the role that has the skill sets and the potential to meet what the demand is that I anticipate is coming.”

CHROs leading AI transformation can use a “scout and scale” strategy, Moore recommended. Scale focuses on organizational redesign, adjusting roles and skills to meet AI demand, and thinking through AI’s role in the workflow over the next few years, he said. Scout means creating a culture where employees can experiment with and learn about AI.

“Something is coming, or things are going to be new, and there’s no blueprint on how to get there,” Moore said. “It’s unclear what work is going to look like in one or two years. Many of the eyes in the room are looking at [CHROs].”