Welcome to Title Town - A breakdown of Fortune 50 Companies and HR Job Titles

Recently we were asked about what the title of an executive-level HR position should be, and if it matters. Curious, we dug in, assessing the frequency of each title and the subtle but significant differences between a CHRO, CPO, and other titles.  

We examined/researched the Fortune 50 companies to see what they’re doing and do the different titles make a difference. What about a VP of Human Resources vs. a CHRO? These nuances in title can and do influence how both candidates and employers view the role.

CHRO

The title “Chief Human Resources Officer” encompasses the traditional scope of the role, focusing on all the core people functions like talent acquisition, talent development, employee engagement, compensation, benefits, compliance, and organizational policies. This has been the traditional title used to reflect a deeply experienced HR leader, denoting a C level executive. Of the 50 companies we researched, 23 are using the CHRO title (though many have EVP, and SVP also in their titles.)

*All companies are numbered by current Fortune 50 ranking

9. McKesson 29. Valero Energy

10. Cencora 31. Verizon Communications

13. Microsoft 36. Freddie Mac

14. Cardinal Health 37. Target

15. Chevron 41. Morgan Stanley

16. Cigna Group 42. Johnson & Johnson

18. Bank of America 43. Archer Daniels Midland

21. Citigroup 45. UPS

24. Marathon Petroleum 47. Walt Disney

26. Phillips 66 48. Dell Technologies

27. Fannie Mae 50. Proctor & Gamble

28. Walgreens Boots Alliance

CPO

On the other hand, the title “Chief People Officer” evokes a more modern and holistic approach to managing the workforce. This title came about to shift viewing employees as “resources” to “people,” with the focus on culture, employee engagement, well-being, and professional growth. This title can overtly signal to the company and potential candidates that the organization prioritizes not only the operational side of HR but also the human experience within the company. We found that 11 of the Fortune 50 companies were using CPO.

1. Walmart 19. General Motors

3. Apple 22. Centene

4. United Health Group 25. Kroger

6. CVS Health 44. PepsiCo

8. Alphabet 46. FedEx

17. Ford Motor

The Others - VP/SVP/EVP of HR

And there are 16 companies that use neither. Eight of which use VP/SVP/EVP of HR, six of which used a unique title, and two of which were very opaque in the way it was outlined, and we could not determine.

7. Exxon Mobil 32. AT&T

11. Costco 33. Comcast

12. JPMorgan Chase 34. Wells Fargo

23. Home Depot 49. Lowe’s

Though the difference is subtle, the impact on how the role is perceived—by both employers and employees—can be significant. It underscores the evolving nature of leadership in HR and the growing recognition that people are a company’s most valuable asset. In speaking with a candidate for a recent VP of HR listing, it was a requirement of the job that the VP sit on the C-Suite. “Why then is there no C in the title?” asked the candidate.

 Valid question.  Job architectures and levels are set more purposefully in some companies than others – and the arbitrary use of a title can create inaccurate perceptions and misalign a compensation structure.

Other titles

1. Head of Human Capital Management—Goldman Sachs

2. Chief Administrative Officer (which includes HR with other functions)—Humana

3. Head of People—Meta

4. SVP with HR and other functions—Amazon and State Farm

5. Was Director—Tesla (No head of HR now!) 

6. SVP of People, Experience and Technology- Amazon 

Couldn’t determine leaders for two companies

1. Elevance Health (could be under Chief Admin)

2. Berkshire Hathaway

In conclusion, we found it interesting to see how the biggest, and in often cases the most complex – companies title their top HR person. We’re curious to see how smaller companies are managing it, and we’ll have some posts on our LinkedIn page to continue the conversation.