Traditional research on CEO pathsնող focuses on titles like COO, CFO, and divisional president. But product management may be equally relevant, argues Ben Chisell, CEO of Paysend. In the column, he argues aspiring leaders should focus on ownership of measurable outcomes rather than prestige.

A large S&P 500 study lists four feeder roles: COOs, divisional CEOs, CFOs, and leapfrog leaders. The CEO Genome Project shows fastest climbers—sprinters—reached the CEO seat well ahead of the 24‑year average by taking bold moves such as taking a failing division or building from scratch, building decisiveness, reliability, adaptability, engagement. These traits align with product management demands: ownership, customer obsession, tough decisions.

Ben Chisell cites his own path—product and technology at Amazon, eBay, Starling Bank, Oak North—leading to his first CEO role without the typical ladder. He notes PMs who own outcomes rather than processes resemble CEOs. The PM‑to‑CEO pathway is overlooked because the function is judged by its worst practitioners; those who build products demonstrate CEO‑like skills.

He advises aspiring executives to choose a metric they want to own, strip away layers, stay outcome‑oriented. The legacy model of job title sequences is outdated; product management offers a crash course for modern leadership.