Business leaders continue to obsess over AI and climate change. It’s hard to argue over their obsession. But there’s another categorical change underway that few people are discussing, one that will reshape economies and workforces just as profoundly: demographics.
According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, approximately 1.4 billion people globally will be aged 60 years or older, representing roughly one in six people worldwide; this number is expected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of 20-first and a global expert on gender and generational balance, says companies are still asleep at the wheel.
“There’s a hell of a lot of focus on AI and climate change, quite rightly,” she said. “But there’s a third pillar of big disruptions that is missing, and that’s this new demographic reality.”
Why Leaders Are Missing the Longevity Economy
The aging population is often framed as a challenge rather than an opportunity. Wittenberg-Cox believes it’s a leadership blind spot, much like gender balance was 20 years ago.
“We are kind of on age where we were on gender two decades ago,” she noted. “It was clear in the data, but to get it onto a leadership agenda takes urgency, burning bushes, education, awareness raising—all of which we must now be engaged in.”
The world’s demographic shift isn’t hypothetical. “Soon, half the labor force is going to be over 50,” she said. “I used to talk about gender balance—50% men, 50% women. Now, I talk about generational balance. Half the workforce and half the consumer base are over 50, and the other half is under 50. But we’re not thinking that way.”
The numbers are staggering. “If you look at the US economy alone, the over-50s account for about $9 trillion,” she explained. “And yet, the total marketing spend targeting this demographic is often less than 5%. Why? Because marketing departments are young, hip, and trendy, focusing on people like us isn’t considered sexy.”
Breaking the Career Mold
The traditional career path—education, work, and retirement—no longer fits reality. Wittenberg-Cox argues that companies need to redesign work for longer, multi-phase careers.
“Anybody over 50 in the corporate world knows there’s a clock ticking over their heads,” she said. “They don’t get developed, they don’t get trained, and don’t get invested in, because we think they’re heading towards retirement and out the door in a few short years.”
This mindset is a massively missed opportunity. “There’s a real lack of manpower in a stretched economy,” she pointed out. “Unless the robots come for all of our jobs—which some people are saying they will—we’re going to need our older workers, and we’re going to need them now.”
Organizations need a career design reset. “We are simply in old frames,” she said. “The corporate system is still designed for the old pyramid when we are now in a demographic square. We have to adapt the model.”
Aging Workers, Tech, and the Bias Problem
A common stereotype is that older workers struggle with technology. Wittenberg-Cox dismisses this notion outright.
“I use the comparison with gender,” she said. “For decades, companies didn’t integrate women into leadership because of outdated stereotypes. We’re seeing the same thing now with older workers. The corporate mantra has been that they’re expensive, slow to learn, and not worth the investment. It’s simply not true.”
Your organization ought to actively build intergenerational teams and rethink talent management. “It’s not about starting an affinity group for older workers,” she said. “That won’t do it. You need leaders on board, cultures that adapt, and talent management systems that recognize the value of experience.”
What Companies Must Do Now
So what’s the first step? According to Wittenberg-Cox, it starts at the executive level.
“If you have not had a conversation at the ExCo level about developing a longevity strategy, you’re missing a growth strategy,” she stated. “It’s a priority. You need to bring real data; what does your talent look like? What percentage of your employees are over 50? How engaged are they compared to younger employees?”
She pointed to the UK insurance company Aviva as an example of a business taking action. “Aviva introduced the Midlife MOT, allowing employees over 50 to assess what they want in the second half of their lives, professionally, economically, and personally,” she explained. “It was so popular that it was oversubscribed immediately, and the number one request was, ‘I wish I had done this 10 years earlier.’”
If it’s not evident to you now, it will be very soon. The talent pipeline is shrinking, birth rates are dropping, and the workforce is aging. Organizations that fail to adapt leadership development, workforce planning, and consumer strategies to this reality will be left behind. Wittenberg-Cox sums it up bluntly: “We have no choice.”
And yet, she remains optimistic.
“Science in the 20th century has gifted us an extra three or four decades of existence,” she said. “That’s not a problem—that’s an opportunity. The third quarter of life, from 50 to 75, is newly healthy, newly active, and wonderfully engaged. It’s a fantastic opportunity for women, for reinvention, and for work.”
In other words, the future of leadership is intergenerationally balanced. The question is whether you and your organization are ready to step up.
Watch the full interview with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox and Dan Pontefract on the Leadership NOW program below, or listen to it on your favorite podcast.