Article published on October 30 in the 24h and on November 1 in the TdG
Having been recently invited by Levelplus, a Geneva State initiative aimed at supporting the employment of executives over 50 years old, I had the pleasure of leading a fascinating discussion on a topic as timely as it is complex: the place of seniors in the labor market.
As an economist, I like to use objective data to back up my ideas. And this is fully in line with our executive search activity at Ganci Partners: over the past 18 months, from January 2024 to June 2025, 47% of the executives we placed were over 50 years old. Concerning our clients, age is never a selection criterion—except when the collaboration horizon is too short to allow for a full 4- to 5-year cycle, a condition often necessary to generate lasting impact. This is the case, for example, of a person very close to the legal retirement age.
At first glance, there are no warning signs either on the micro level, in our daily activities, or on the macroeconomic level. In June 2025, the unemployment rate in Switzerland stood at 2.7%, with similar figures for those aged 50+, comparable to those aged 15–64.
However, this global picture hides more nuanced realities depending on the sector and region. In Geneva, the unemployment rate for those aged 50+ reached 3.8%, and certain executive profiles remain permanently vulnerable. Management positions in sales, marketing, finance, and IT have rates above 5%. These professions will also be subject to the mandatory registration with the Cantonal Employment Office starting in 2025.
These figures undoubtedly conceal some persistent stereotypes: lack of agility, reluctance to train, cost deemed too high, supposedly difficult integration into younger teams, difficulty in grasping the trends of the new generations who are the consumers of tomorrow—a key point particularly in marketing-related professions—, or even a leadership style perceived as outdated.
And yet, the reality is often quite different. Experience, loyalty, strategic perspective, network strength, crisis management: senior executives bring major assets to the company. Rather than focusing on perceived obstacles or weaknesses, why not highlight what makes them unique and use it as a lever for performance?
Take flexibility, for example. Offering a temporary assignment of 6 to 12 months to a 35-year-old executive, in the midst of personal and professional development, is often complicated. However, a senior executive will see it as an opportunity. And these profiles often perform better in contexts where they must be quickly operational, more so than in positions where the learning curve is the main challenge. Not to mention their ability to inspire younger employees with their experience, perspective, and career path.
