We examine CEO career and human capital changes around Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings for a large sample of publicly traded firms. One-third of the incumbent CEOs and half of all sample CEOs maintain full-time executive employment despite bankruptcy filing. For these CEOs, we estimate the median change in CEO human capital to be zero. CEOs who do not maintain full-time executive employment experience a median estimated loss of human capital equal to five times their pre-departure compensation. While CEO loss of equity investment in the bankrupt firm is large regardless of career changes, greater pre-filing equity holdings are associated with a lower likelihood of voluntary departure. Greater creditor control rights are associated with a higher likelihood of both forced departure and failure to maintain full-time executive employment.
Erasmus Finance Seminars
- Speaker(s)
- Karin S. Thorburn (NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Norway)
- Date
- Tuesday, October 28, 2014
- Location
- Rotterdam