SoulCycle's CEO stepped down this week. Here are the 31 most dramatic exits in a record-breaking year for CEO departures.

• During the first three quarters of 2019, 1,160 CEOs left their positions, according to the staffing firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas.
• This figure exceeds the number of CEOs who departed during the same nine-month span at the height of the 2008 recession (which saw 1,132 CEO departures).
• The tech sector has seen the second-highest number of CEO departures, with 154 executives in that industry leaving their positions.
• Most recently, SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan stepped down after seven years at the company.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

More than 1,000 CEOs stepped down during the first three quarters of 2019, according to a report published by the staffing firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas — 1,160 executives, to be exact.

Departures in the first nine months of this year exceeded the number of CEOs who stepped down during the first three quarters of 2008 (1,132), which was the height of the Great Recession. This is also the year with the highest CEO turnover in the first three quarters that Challenger, Gray, & Christmas has seen since the firm began tracking departures in 2002.

The tech sector has the second-highest number of CEO departures, at 154, including the high-profile departures of Adam Neumann from WeWork and Kevin Burns from Juul.

On October 22, the heads of Under Armour and Nike announced within hours of each other that they were stepping down. On November 1, the McDonald's board voted to fire CEO Steve Easterbrook over his relationship with an employee. Gap CEO Art Peck stepped down on November 7 after 15 years at the company. 

Most recently, SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan resigned from the company on Tuesday, which a spokesperson told Business Insider was a "mutual agreement" between the board of SoulCycle and Whelan. Whelan originally joined the company in 2012 as its COO and rose to CEO in 2015.

Of the CEOs who left their positions during the first three quarters, 438 remained at their respective companies in different roles, 292 retired, and 103 moved to other companies, according to the report, which listed several other reasons for departures as well.

Here are the 31 most noteworthy CEO departures of 2019 thus far: 

SEE ALSO: The WeWork IPO fiasco of 2019, explained in 30 seconds

DON'T MISS: The cofounders of Juul have both lost their billionaire status after less than 10 months in the 3-comma club

31. SoulCycle — Melanie Whelan

Read more: SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan has resigned, marking the end of a tumultuous year for the boutique fitness company

30. Gap — Art Peck

Read more: Gap CEO Art Peck is stepping down from the company

29. McDonald's — Steve Easterbrook

Read more: McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook was fired over a relationship with an employee

28. Wells Fargo — Tim Sloan

Source: Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan is retiring

27. David's Bridal — Scott Key

Source: Wall Street Journal

26. Overstock — Patrick Byrne

Read more: Overstock founder Patrick Byrne was seemingly involved in a web of intrigue that involved a Russian spy and the FBI

 

25. Under Armour — Kevin Plank

Read more: Kevin Plank is stepping down as CEO of Under Armour

24. Care.com — Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Source: Wall Street Journal

23. AutoNation — Carl Liebert

Read more: AutoNation replaces new CEO with a new CEO

22. PG&E — Geisha Williams

Read more: PG&E says CEO Geisha Williams steps down

21. Kraft Heinz — Bernardo Hees

Read more: Kraft Heinz CEO stepping down, Patricio named successor

20. Blue Apron — Brad Dickerson

Read more: Blue Apron is soaring after its CEO steps down

19. HP — Dion Weisler

Read more: The CEO of HP is stepping down 'due to a family health matter,' and will be replaced by an exec who started at the company as an intern

18. UnitedHealthcare — Steve Nelson

Read more: Interview with Retired UnitedHealthcare CEO Steve Nelson

17. Guess — Victor Herrero

Read more: Guess CEO Victor Herrero to step down

 

16. Mozilla — Chris Beard

Source: TechCrunch

15. Boingo Wireless — Dave Hagan

Source: Yahoo Finance

14. REI — Jerry Stritzke

Read more: REI leader resigns over undisclosed relationship

13. Bed, Bath & Beyond — Steven Temares

Read more: Bed Bath & Beyond has a new CEO 5 months after activist investors released a brutal presentation slamming the company's leadership

12. Mattress Firm — Steve Stagner

Read more: Mattress Firm Board of Directors Announces the Resignation of Chief Executive Officer

11. Warner Bros. — Kevin Tsujihara

Read more: Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara is stepping down following a report alleging he had a sexual relationship with an actress and promised to help her get roles

10. Rite Aid — John Standley

Read more: Rite Aid CEO John Standley To Step Down, Shares Up

9. Burlington Stores — Tom Kingsbury

Source: MarketWatch

8. Best Buy — Hubert Joly

Read more: Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly steps down

7. New York Post — Jesse Angelo

Read more: News Corp Appoints Sean Giancola As CEO of New York Post

6. Colgate-Palmolive — Ian Cook

Source: Financial Times

5. MetLife — Steven Kandarian

Read more: MetLife names Khalaf CEO, Kandarian to retire

4. eBay — Devin Wenig

Read more: eBay CEO abruptly steps down as the company considers selling off assets

3. Juul — Kevin Burns

Read more: Juul's CEO steps down as the e-cig company says it will stop all advertising in the US

2. Nike — Mark Parker

Read more: Nike CEO Mark Parker steps down just hours after Under Armour's chief executive leaves his role

1. WeWork — Adam Neumann

Read more: The WeWork IPO fiasco of 2019, explained in 30 seconds

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