Can Industrial Engineers Become Top-Level Executives?
An industrial engineer has the opportunity to pursue a career in any sector aligned with their interests and abilities, and even to conclude that career as a top-level executive. Indeed, a 2011 study conducted with 183 CEOs and general managers in Turkey found that 52% of CEOs had an engineering background, while 20% came from business disciplines. Among the engineering fields, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering jointly led the way, each representing 31% of the total. Within this 31%, it is reasonable to state that industrial engineers form the majority, with the exception of a few sectors (see [5]). For instance, former Turkcell CEO, as well as the CEOs of Unilever, Microsoft Turkey, Marks & Spencer, ETİ, and the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Turkey, all have backgrounds in industrial engineering. Globally, the current CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, is also an industrial engineer.
References: