| Author Name | HONJO Yuji (Faculty Fellow, RIETI) / IKEDA Yuya (National Institute of Science and Technology Policy) |
|---|---|
| Creation Date/NO. | July 2026 26-E-056 |
| Research Project | Diversity of Human and Financial Capital and Policy Challenges in Start-up Promotion |
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Abstract
This study examines the impact of founder-chief executive officer (CEO) presence on post-initial public offering (IPO) outcomes using a sample of IPOs listed on junior stock markets in Japan. We decompose this relationship into two effects: the founder-CEO tenure effect, capturing leadership continuity after an IPO, and the founder-CEO imprinting effect, reflecting founder-CEO contributions prior to an IPO. Our results reveal that founder-CEO-led firms do not exhibit statistically significant improvements in post-IPO financial performance, measured by Tobin’s q and return on assets (ROA), but the founder-CEO tenure effect is positive and statistically significant for employment and sales growth. These findings suggest that founder-CEOs tend to pursue growth-oriented strategies after an IPO. In contrast, the founder-CEO imprinting effect has no statistically significant impact on either financial performance or firm growth. Distinguishing between tenure and imprinting effects provides a better understanding of how founder-CEO presence shapes post-IPO outcomes.
