The Vistage Chair role is designed for experienced leaders looking to extend their impact beyond the organisations they have led. You’ve spent years leading organisations, building businesses and making decisions that matter. Now you can put that experience to work in a different way—staying close to business, continuing to learn and helping other leaders succeed, on your own terms.
Put your leadership experience to work in a new way
Many CEOs, founders and senior executives choose to stay engaged in business leadership beyond day-to-day operational responsibilities. The Chair role combines autonomy with a proven advisory model. Instead of leading one organisation, you help multiple leaders navigate complex decisions, challenge assumptions and build stronger businesses.
Stay close to real business leadership
As a Vistage Chair, you work with CEOs and business owners in structured peer advisory groups focused on real decisions and outcomes.
You remain close to the pace and complexity of business, without returning to an executive role.
Build a practice around your experience
Build your own Chair practice, helping multiple business leaders make better decisions and succeed.
Backed by Vistage’s established brand and proven model, you have a strong foundation to build a rewarding practice on your terms.
Backed by a proven model
You don’t have to build an advisory practice from scratch. Vistage provides structured training, proven frameworks and ongoing support to help you establish and grow your Chair practice.
You bring the experience and judgement. Vistage provides the model and support.
The Chair role
As a Vistage Chair, you bring your leadership judgement, commercial experience and perspective to CEOs and business owners, helping them navigate complex decisions, challenge their thinking and move forward with confidence.
You lead confidential peer advisory groups where senior leaders bring real business challenges, test their thinking and gain insight from their peers.
Each month, you facilitate structured group sessions and one-to-one coaching conversations focused on the decisions and priorities that matter most to them.
‘Being a Vistage Chair is the single most profound thing that I have done in my professional career. The ability to assist people on their journeys and to help them become the best leaders and people that they can be is very rewarding. I am quite proud when they accomplish their goals and achieve success in whatever way they measure it.’
Vistage Chair
Why experienced leaders choose this role
The Chair role offers independence with structure: the freedom to build a meaningful practice around your experience, supported by a proven model and established frameworks.
For experienced leaders, the Chair role offers a way to:
Create impact beyond one organisation
Apply decades of experience, judgement and leadership lessons to help other CEOs make better decisions and build stronger businesses.
Stay commercially current
Remain close to real business challenges through exposure to different industries, emerging issues and conversations with experienced leaders.
Build a meaningful portfolio career
Create a professional rhythm that combines autonomy, flexibility and purpose, without returning to the demands of a full-time executive role.
Keep growing as a leader
Continue developing your skills through ongoing training, proven facilitation tools and the experience of working with other accomplished leaders.
What it takes to become a Vistage Chair
The Chair role is designed for accomplished business leaders with the experience and judgement to work alongside senior executives.
They typically bring:
Explore the Chair role
Is this your next chapter?
Start with a confidential conversation about your experience, ambitions and what you want from your next chapter. From there, we’ll explore whether the Chair role is the right fit for you and outline the next steps.
Frequently asked questions
A Vistage Chair is an experienced business leader who facilitates confidential peer advisory groups for CEOs, business owners, and senior executives, alongside one-to-one coaching. Through structured group discussions and coaching conversations, Chairs help leaders improve decision-making, strengthen leadership capability, and enhance business performance.
Vistage Chairs are typically former CEOs, business owners, managing directors, or senior executives with significant leadership and commercial experience. Many are building a portfolio career that may also include board positions, consulting, or advisory work. It is also a common next step for executives who are considering what to do after leaving the C-suite or who are approaching retirement and exploring a second career.
For many experienced CEOs and senior executives, becoming a Vistage Chair is an alternative to traditional retirement. It provides a way to remain engaged in business leadership while building an independent advisory practice. The role offers flexibility, continuity, and ongoing involvement with CEOs and business owners. This makes it a popular option for leaders who are not ready to fully retire but are seeking a meaningful next stage of career.
Unlike traditional executive coaching or consulting, Vistage Chairs facilitate confidential peer advisory groups where business leaders learn from each other’s experience and perspectives. The role combines coaching, facilitation, and business leadership within an established framework and methodology.
Vistage Chairs typically have 10+ years of senior leadership experience, strong commercial and financial acumen, a track record of leading teams, and the ability to coach and challenge senior business leaders effectively. Most candidates are former CEOs or senior executives looking to transition into a second career after significant leadership roles in the C-suite.
Rather than moving directly into retirement, the Chair role provides a structured next step for experienced leaders. You continue working with CEOs and business owners, stay engaged in senior leadership conversations, and build an independent advisory practice—while maintaining flexibility and autonomy.
Board roles focus on governance and strategic oversight, while the Vistage Chair role involves working directly with CEOs and business owners to improve decision-making through structured peer advisory groups. Many executives combine both as part of a broader portfolio career.
Lead leaders. Shape futures.
Evaluate whether becoming a Vistage Chair is your next step. Discover how to apply your leadership experience to guide executives toward greater success.
