Does learning have a seat at the C-suite table? CLO research across the US, UK and Australia

This research examines whether Learning & Development leadership holds a genuine seat at the executive table across three major markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The hypothesis - raised in that recent industry discussion - is that Australian organisations are significantly less likely to appoint a Chief Learning Officer (CLO) compared to their US and UK counterparts, with learning leadership more commonly sitting at Head of L&D or Director level, reporting through HR rather than directly to the CEO.

The evidence strongly supports this hypothesis. While a precise like-for-like census of FTSE 100, Fortune 100, and ASX 200 CLO appointments does not exist in published research, the directional data from multiple credible sources paints a clear picture: learning leadership is less visible at the C-suite in Australia than in the US and UK.

Research compiled from Spencer Stuart, McKinsey, LinkedIn, i4cp, CIPD, iVentiv, Josh Bersin, and Deloitte.

Where does the most senior learning leader sit in the organisational hierarchy - and does it matter? Research consistently shows that organisational effectiveness increases the longer the head of learning is in the role and the more directly they report to the CEO (ATD/i4cp). When learning is buried two or three levels below the C-suite, it struggles to influence strategy, secure investment, and drive transformation.

The US is the birthplace of the CLO role (the title was first coined in the 1990s) and remains the market where it is most established. Key evidence:

• Spencer Stuart's Fortune 500 C-Suite Snapshot (2024) tracks 11 common C-suite roles across Fortune 500 companies, including the CHRO. While the CLO is not tracked as a standalone category (it falls under the CHRO's purview), this itself is telling - in the US, the learning function is at least adjacent to a tracked C-suite role.
• LinkedIn data analysis (ELM Learning, 2024) identified over 1,550 CLO profiles in a single study, with a LinkedIn search generating more than 10,000 results globally. The overwhelming majority of named CLOs come from US-headquartered companies including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, HP, JP Morgan, GE, Cisco, Nike, American Express, McDonald's, and Merck.
• Emeritus CLO Report (2024) drew insights from over 20 CLOs at global companies including Goldman Sachs, BCG, Nestlé, and L'Oréal - again predominantly US-headquartered or US-listed firms.
• i4cp's Chief Learning & Talent Officer Board has almost two-thirds of its membership from Fortune 500 organisations, indicating substantial CLO-level representation in large US corporates.
• iVentiv's 2025 survey of 248 senior L&D and Talent executives covered the USA and Europe, with US respondents showing distinctive priorities (change management was 13 percentage points above the global average), suggesting a mature, distinct CLO community.

Estimated CLO prevalence in Fortune 100/500: While no single census exists, the weight of evidence suggests that a significant proportion of Fortune 100 companies (likely 30-50%) have a dedicated CLO or Chief Talent Officer, with the figure somewhat lower across the broader Fortune 500. The role is well-established and recognised as a C-suite function.

The UK sits between the US and Australia. Key evidence:

• FTSE 100 C-suite composition data from Russell Reynolds and Robert Half tracks CEO, CFO, COO, CHRO, CMO, and General Counsel roles. The CLO is not tracked as a standard FTSE 100 executive role. CHROs are overwhelmingly women (79%) and are the primary owners of the learning agenda.
• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) is the professional body for HR and L&D in the UK and uses titles like "Head of L&D" and "Director of Learning" in its research, suggesting these are the dominant senior titles in UK organisations rather than CLO.
• iVentiv's European events regularly convene "Global Heads of Learning, Talent, and Executive Development" - the use of "Head" rather than "Chief" in event naming reflects the predominant UK/European titling convention.
• UK multinationals with CLOs do exist (particularly in financial services and large global firms), but the title is less uniformly adopted than in the US. The role more commonly appears as VP of Learning, Group Head of Learning, or Director of Talent Development.

Estimated CLO prevalence in FTSE 100: Lower than the US. Likely 10-20% of FTSE 100 companies have a dedicated CLO-titled role. Learning leadership more commonly sits at Director or VP level, reporting to the CHRO.

Australia presents the starkest picture. Key evidence:

• ASX executive team data shows no CLO roles on published leadership teams. ASX Limited itself has a Chief People Officer (appointed November 2023) but no CLO. A review of ASX 200 company leadership pages reveals almost zero CLO titles at the executive team level.
• SEEK job listings for "Head of Learning and Development" in Australia confirm this is the dominant senior title, not CLO. The most common senior L&D titles in Australian corporates are Head of Learning & Development, Head of Organisational Development, Senior L&D Business Partner, and Director of People & Capability.
• AHRI (Australian HR Institute) does not reference CLO as a standard role in its professional development pathways. The Australian L&D profession is positioned firmly within HR, with the CHRO or Chief People Officer as the ceiling for people-related C-suite representation.
• Evanta/Gartner's Australia CHRO Community exists but there is no equivalent CLO community for Australia, reinforcing the absence of a critical mass of CLOs in the market.
• Glassdoor CLO job listings in Sydney show only 39 results - a tiny number that likely includes many non-corporate and international roles.

Estimated CLO prevalence in ASX 200: Extremely low. Likely fewer than 5% of ASX 200 companies have a dedicated CLO. Learning leadership almost universally sits at Head or Director level, reporting to the CHRO or Chief People Officer, two or three levels below the CEO.

The following table summarises the key differences across the three markets:

The absence of CLOs in Australian organisations is not just a titling issue - it reflects a structural gap in how learning is valued and governed. Several consequences flow from this.

Strategic influence. When the most senior learning leader reports two or three levels below the CEO, learning is positioned as an operational function rather than a strategic one. ATD/i4cp research confirms that organisational effectiveness increases when learning leaders report directly to the CEO.

Investment decisions. Without a C-suite advocate, learning budgets are more vulnerable to cuts. Nine out of ten global executives plan to increase or maintain L&D investment (LinkedIn 2024), but this requires a senior leader making the case at board level.

AI readiness. Josh Bersin's 2025 research argues that the modern CLO should be a "tech-enabled, AI-savvy leader aligned with business and IT." Without CLO-level leadership, Australian organisations risk falling behind in AI-driven workforce transformation.

Skills and reskilling. i4cp's 2026 Priorities report shows 59% of CLOs are prioritising enterprise-wide upskilling, and 56% cite reskilling as a key priority. These strategic workforce decisions need C-suite authority.

Talent attraction. The absence of a CLO role limits career pathways for L&D professionals in Australia. 45% of CLOs globally are female (ELM Learning), making it one of the more gender-balanced C-suite roles - a missed opportunity for Australian boards focused on diversity.

The global direction of travel favours CLO elevation, not its decline:

• 63% of L&D professionals reported having a seat at the C-suite table in 2021, up 27 percentage points in a single year (LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report).
• Learning Culture is now a top priority for 53% of CLOs, up 13% year-on-year (iVentiv 2025).
• McKinsey has published dedicated research on "The Future of the CLO," framing the role as essential for a world of merged work and learning.
• Deloitte's 2025 Human Capital Trends emphasise that 74% of workers, managers, and executives say it is critical to prioritise human capabilities - a mandate that requires senior learning leadership.
• Josh Bersin's 2025 white paper calls for a new type of CLO: AI-savvy, business-aligned, and decentralised - arguing many CLOs have become too embedded in HR and lost strategic influence.

This research draws on publicly available reports, search data, and industry analysis rather than a primary census of company executive teams. Important caveats:

• No single published dataset provides a definitive count of CLOs across the FTSE 100, Fortune 100/500, or ASX 200. The prevalence estimates are directional, synthesised from multiple proxy indicators.
• Title alone does not determine influence. Some "Heads of L&D" may wield significant strategic influence; some CLOs may be largely operational.
• The analysis could be strengthened with a primary LinkedIn search (using Sales Navigator or Recruiter) to count exact CLO, VP Learning, Head of L&D, and Director of L&D titles at index-listed companies in each market.
• Company size, industry, and globalisation influence title adoption. Financial services firms are more likely to have CLOs across all three markets.

1. Spencer Stuart — Fortune 500 C-Suite Snapshot 2024
2. McKinsey — The Future of the CLO
3. LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024
4. ELM Learning — Chief Learning Officer: Job Description, Trends, Salaries
5. Emeritus CLO Report 2024
6. i4cp — 2026 Priorities & Predictions Report
7. iVentiv — Top Priorities for CLOs in 2025
8. Josh Bersin — 2025 Learning White Paper (via Yarno)
9. Deloitte — 2025 Global Human Capital Trends
10. CIPD — Learning and Skills at Work
11. Russell Reynolds — FTSE 100 Senior Executive Roles
12. ATD — What Is a Chief Learning Officer?
13. Evanta/Gartner — Australia CHRO Community

If you're navigating AI transformation and want to keep the human at the centre - whether that's through executive coaching, leadership mentoring, or strategic support - I'd love to talk. (DM me or email emma@emmaweber.com - I'm always up for a conversation!)