When Experience Runs the Company: The Oldest CEOs in the World Still Running Major Companies

Modern innovation powers the world, and Gen Z and Gen Alpha will be the face of the future. Businesses and their approaches to reaching out to consumers will undergo drastic changes. Regardless of the changes, no one knows better than someone in the field for a few years. A guiding force that drives an entity by adapting to advancements. Yeah, they are the business leaders who have been through the thick and thin of commerce. 

There is a special kind of respect that comes with time. It creates experiences to help a person outgrow and become wise over time. The oldest CEOs in the world are still among the top contenders in modern commerce. Such leaders embody wisdom and a profound understanding of business fundamentals. This article will highlight inspiring veteran leaders, demonstrating the invaluable impact of their experience on business. 

Notable 12 Oldest CEOs in the World 

1. Warren Buffett

• Age: 93 
• Company: Berkshire Hathaway 
• Fortune 500 rank: 7 
• CEO tenure: 54 years

Buffett, known as the Oracle of Omaha, has guided Berkshire Hathaway since 1970 and turned it into a diversified multinational company. His long-term approach to value investing has shaped corporate America’s steady growth model and financial prudence. At 93, his annual shareholder letter and calm influence still receive global attention. Warren Buffett is a must on the list of the oldest CEOs in the world, embodying how cumulative lessons and patient strategy create enduring success, even in turbulent markets. 

2. Roger Penske

• Age: 87 
• Company: Penske Automotive Group 
• Fortune 500 rank: 150 
• CEO tenure: 63 years

Penske has built a transportation empire rooted in discipline. His leadership emphasizes precision, teamwork, and strategy, from race cars to global dealerships. Now 87, he remains a force in the auto industry and international motorsports. His tenure reflects an unwavering commitment, grounding companies in a vision built over generations.

3. Sheldon Adelson

• Age: 85 
• Company: Las Vegas Sands 
• Fortune 500 rank: 200 
• CEO tenure: 30 years

Adelson rose from modest beginnings to build one of the world’s largest casino and convention empires. His bold investments in Las Vegas and Macau changed global gaming. At 85, his entrepreneurial spirit defined Sands’ culture. Sheldon Adelson is among the veteran business leaders whose ambition is still driving economic growth, tourism, and innovation even at an advanced age.

4. Leslie Wexner

• Age: 80 
• Company: L Brands 
• Fortune 500 rank: 350 
• CEO tenure: 55 years

Wexner launched Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works from a family store in Ohio. Over five decades, he built an influential retail empire with iconic brands and marketing flair. Now 80, his legacy includes culture-defining promotions and flagship stores. Wexner shows how deep brand understanding and consistent customer focus can sustain relevance through changing tastes.

5. Alan B. Miller

• Age: 85 
• Company: Universal Health Services 
• Fortune 500 rank: 350 
• CEO tenure: 35 years

Miller turned UHS into one of the nation’s largest hospital-management firms. After founding American Medicorp and rebounding from a hostile takeover, he steered UHS to long-term success. At 85, Alan B. Miller continues to shape healthcare strategy in a changing industry. His commitment exemplifies how the oldest CEOs deliver essential services while adapting to regulatory and technological shifts with steady resolve.

6. Michael F. Neidorff (passed 2022)

• Age at pass: 79 
• Company: Centene 
• Fortune 500 rank: 100 
• CEO tenure: 24 years

Neidorff built Centene from a mid‑size Medicaid company into a multi‑state managed care leader. Michael F. Neidorff’s leadership expanded services to millions of low-income families. For more than two decades, he guided strategy, mergers, and challenges, showing how the oldest CEOs in the world in healthcare drive access and innovation for vulnerable communities.

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7. Brian Duperreault

• Age: 78 
• Company: AIG 
• Fortune 500 rank: 90 
• CEO tenure: 7 years

Duperreault returned to the helm of AIG, bringing back seasoned insurance expertise and analytics-driven strategy. At 78, he’s revitalizing an iconic insurer post‑financial crisis. His tenure emphasizes disciplined risk and digital transformation. Brian Duperreault highlights how veteran leaders can bring fresh vision with maturity.

8. Hunter Harrison (late)

• Age at pass: 77 
• Company: CSX Railroad 
• Fortune 500 rank: 200 
• CEO tenure: 2 years

Harrison invented “precision railroading,” transforming freight efficiency and reducing costs. Though his time at CSX was brief, he triggered sweeping operational shifts. Hunter harrison’s work epitomizes how the oldest CEOs in the world, in their later years, can still spark powerful change, especially when backed by decades of industry insight.

9. Victoria Fash (late)

• Age at pass: 72 
• Company: IMS Health (now IQVIA) 
• Fortune 500 rank: 400 
• CEO tenure: 5 years

Fash was among the first women to lead a Fortune 500 company. Victoria Fash managed a $14 billion firm serving healthcare analytics. At 72, she broke barriers, championed data-driven growth, and inspired the rising generation of female executives. As one of the oldest CEOs in the world, her impact transcends numbers; she brought vision, empathy, and inclusion to leadership.

10. Bernard Arnault

• Age: 72 
• Company: LVMH 
• Fortune 500 rank: 50 
• CEO tenure: 35 years

Arnault took a small luxury goods group and built a global conglomerate spanning fashion, jewelry, and spirits. His eye for acquisitions and artful brand building made LVMH a benchmark of elegance. At 72, Bernard Arnault remains involved, guiding luxury markets with artistic flair. He’s a central figure among the oldest CEOs in the world, blending legacy with ongoing innovation.

11. Seifollah “Seifi” Ghasemi

• Age: 74 
• Company: Air Products & Chemicals 
• Fortune 500 rank: 250 
• CEO tenure: 10 years

Ghasemi leads a global industrial gas firm that is essential to manufacturing and energy. At 74, Seifi Ghasemi directs expansion into clean energy and digital solutions. His balanced leadership shows how industrial sectors can drive sustainability without losing sight of global logistics.

12. Nicholas Pinchuk

• Age: 72 
• Company: Snap‑On 
• Fortune 500 rank: 400 
• CEO tenure: 12 years

Pinchuk led this toolmaker through market cycles while investing in e‑commerce and global reach. At 72, Nicholas Pinchuk maintained strong dividends and operational excellence. His steady hand illustrates how the oldest CEOs in the world in manufacturing use experience to drive precision, innovation, and shareholder value.

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The Impact of Senior Leadership on Business Growth

The oldest CEOs in the world bring unmatched perspectives backed by decades of experience. Their guidance helps in building culture, strategic foresight, and long-term thinking. They anchor firms during downturns and mentor the next generation. Yet critics argue they may lack agility in fast-evolving industries. Still, their cumulative experience often outweighs the age-related risk, especially when paired with strong succession planning and advisory teams. 

The Future of Leadership

With longevity improving and retirement norms shifting, more leaders stay in charge later. As Denmark raises the retirement age to 70 and companies extend CEO tenure, we’ll likely see more seasoned voices in the boardroom. Future leadership will blend veteran insight and youthful agility through co-leadership or mentorship roles. Learning from the veterans, companies must balance wisdom with innovation to stay ahead.

Conclusion

The oldest CEOs in the world didn’t retire because they never stopped showing up. These leaders prove that clarity, conviction, and consistency don’t retire with age. The old guard often keeps the ship steady as trends come and go.

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