Ninety-four per cent of India’s senior executives are open to exploring new career opportunities, according to a report released on Wednesday by Page Executive India, part of Michael Page India. The finding points to a senior leadership market that has become markedly more fluid, with executives chasing faster progression and broader responsibilities.
The Executive Compensation and Talent Trends Report is based on a survey of more than 1,200 C-level executives and senior leaders across the country. Alongside the headline number, it found that 63 per cent of senior leaders are actively looking for a new role, while 41 per cent do not expect to stay in their current position for more than a year.
The report ties this mobility to what executives now want from their careers. They are seeking faster progression, greater impact, and clearer alignment between performance and reward, and the survey found that pay alone is no longer enough to keep them in place. On compensation, 65 per cent of executives said they are satisfied with their remuneration, and 87 per cent cited pay as a key driver of job satisfaction.
“India’s executive market is not constrained by a lack of talent, but by the pace at which organisations can develop and retain it. Senior leaders today are looking for faster progression, greater impact, and clearer alignment between performance and reward,” said Jon Goldstein, Managing Partner, Page Executive India.
Artificial intelligence surfaced as a growing part of the senior leadership brief. The report found that 75 per cent of executives actively use AI in their work, an equal proportion reported higher productivity, and 72 per cent saw an improvement in the quality of their work. It noted that organisations are shifting from simply adopting AI to embedding it into operating models, decision-making, and team performance.
“From an executive perspective, the conversation around AI is moving from adoption to accountability. As roles evolve and new skills become important, the ability to identify, develop and retain the talent that can work effectively alongside AI will become an increasingly important leadership priority,” said Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director, Michael Page India and Singapore.
The report also flagged skills-based hiring as gaining ground in India, with organisations recognising its potential to widen access to talent and reduce bias, though it said implementation remains uneven across companies.
