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CISO Succession Crisis Highlights How Turnover Amplifies Security Risks

Chief Information Security Officers are facing unprecedented turnover, with average tenure now 18‑26 months. Rapid M&A activity forces CISOs to juggle integration, risk, board advising, and crisis management, leading to burnout and a 66% report of excessive expectations. Surveys show 63% experienced burnout and 47% lack an internal successor, creating security program instability. The article argues that inadequate succession planning and shallow leadership benches amplify operational risk.