Charles Lowrey

Charles F. Lowrey Jr.
Born	Charles F. Lowrey Jr.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Executive Chairman of the Board, Prudential Financial
Employer	Prudential Financial
Known for	Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial

Charles F. Lowrey Jr. is an American business executive who serves as Executive Chairman of the Board of Prudential Financial, one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world. He previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, a role he assumed in December 2018 after a career spanning more than two decades at the company. During his tenure as CEO, Lowrey led a strategic transformation of the 150-year-old company, reorienting its business toward higher-growth markets and divesting legacy operations. In December 2024, Prudential announced that Andrew Sullivan would succeed Lowrey as CEO effective March 31, 2025, with Lowrey continuing as Executive Chairman. Beyond his role at Prudential, Lowrey has taken on additional leadership positions, including as a member of the global leadership council of LeapFrog Investments and as an independent director on the board of Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. A graduate of Princeton University, Harvard Business School, and the Yale School of Architecture, Lowrey has an unusual educational background that combines architecture, business, and law.

Education

Lowrey holds degrees from three Ivy League institutions. He earned his undergraduate degree (A.B.) from Princeton University, graduating with the class of 1979. He subsequently attended the Yale School of Architecture, where he earned a Master of Architecture degree. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. This multidisciplinary educational background—spanning architecture, business, and management—distinguished Lowrey among corporate leaders in the financial services industry.

Lowrey has maintained connections with his alma maters throughout his career. He has returned to Princeton University as a speaker, including appearances at Financial Literacy Day events organized by the university's career development office.

Career

Early Career and Rise at Prudential

Prior to becoming CEO, Lowrey spent more than two decades at Prudential Financial, serving in a succession of senior leadership roles across the company's domestic and international operations. His career at Prudential involved leadership responsibilities in various business segments, including the company's international insurance and investment operations.

In September 2018, Prudential Financial announced a CEO transition plan in which Lowrey was named as the successor to John Strangfeld, who had led the company since 2008. The transition was announced alongside the appointment of Scott Sleyster as chief investment officer and Mark Grier's continuation in a senior advisory capacity. Robert Falzon was named vice chairman as part of the same leadership restructuring. Lowrey formally assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in December 2018 and subsequently became Chairman of the Board as well.

Tenure as Chairman and CEO

As Chairman and CEO, Lowrey oversaw a period of strategic transformation at Prudential Financial. In an August 2022 interview with McKinsey & Company, Lowrey described a comprehensive effort to reposition the company, which he characterized as placing purpose at the center of the firm's strategy. The transformation involved shifting Prudential's business mix toward higher-growth, less capital-intensive, and more market-driven businesses while divesting legacy operations that were deemed less aligned with the company's long-term strategic direction.

Lowrey articulated a vision for Prudential that emphasized expanding the company's reach in global growth markets, particularly in emerging economies, and investing in technology and data capabilities to improve customer experiences and operational efficiency. The transformation also encompassed changes in the company's organizational culture and talent management practices.

During his tenure, Lowrey was recognized as one of the highest-compensated executives in the U.S. life insurance industry. According to analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence published in August 2022, Lowrey topped the list of highest-paid U.S. life insurer CEOs. In 2024, Lowrey again topped the S&P Global list as the best-compensated CEO of a publicly traded U.S. life insurer.

Lowrey also emphasized the importance of ethical leadership throughout his time as CEO. In a December 2023 article published in American Business Magazine, he discussed the role of ethics and ethical leadership as essential components of business success, advocating for a corporate culture rooted in listening and integrity.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Public Service

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lowrey took on a public advisory role in New Jersey, where Prudential Financial is headquartered. In April 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy formed a commission to advise on the reopening of the state's economy, and Lowrey was among the business leaders appointed to participate in this effort. This appointment reflected both his standing as a chief executive of one of New Jersey's largest employers and his engagement with public policy matters affecting the state's business community.

Lowrey also participated in broader efforts to support New Jersey's economic competitiveness. He was involved with Choose New Jersey, a nonprofit organization that partners with business leaders to promote the state as a destination for business investment and growth.

CEO Succession and Transition to Executive Chairman

On December 4, 2024, Prudential Financial announced that Andrew Sullivan, then Executive Vice President, would succeed Lowrey as CEO effective March 31, 2025. The announcement, reported by The Wall Street Journal, NJBIZ, and ROI-NJ, indicated that Lowrey would remain as Executive Chairman of the Board following the transition.

Sullivan formally took over as CEO on March 31, 2025. In Prudential's first-quarter 2025 earnings report, the company reported profit gains driven by strong underwriting in its U.S. Businesses unit, marking the early period of the post-Lowrey CEO era.

Post-CEO Activities and Board Appointments

Following his transition to Executive Chairman, Lowrey expanded his involvement in external leadership roles. In September 2025, it was reported that Lowrey had joined the global leadership council of LeapFrog Investments, a private equity firm focused on investing in companies that serve low-income and emerging consumers in Africa and Asia. Prudential Financial had previously made a significant investment in LeapFrog; in 2016, the company committed $500 million to LeapFrog for fintech investments in Africa. Lowrey's appointment to the LeapFrog leadership council thus reflected a continuation of the relationship between Prudential and the investment firm.

In December 2025, Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY) announced the election of Lowrey to its board of directors, effective February 15, 2026. The appointment expanded BNY's board to 12 directors, with 11 of the 12 serving as independent directors. Lowrey was elected as an independent director.

Community and Nonprofit Involvement

Lowrey has been active in nonprofit and community organizations, particularly those based in New Jersey. He was elected co-chair of the board of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), alongside Carmen Villar. NJPAC, located in Newark, New Jersey, is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States and serves as a cultural anchor for the city where Prudential Financial has long maintained its headquarters.

His involvement with NJPAC and organizations such as Choose New Jersey reflects a pattern of engagement with civic and economic development initiatives in the state where Prudential is domiciled.

Recognition

During his time as CEO of Prudential Financial, Lowrey received attention from financial media and industry analysts for both his leadership and his compensation. S&P Global Market Intelligence ranked him as the highest-compensated CEO among publicly traded U.S. life insurers in both 2022 and 2024.

His strategic leadership at Prudential was the subject of a feature interview by McKinsey & Company in 2022, in which the management consulting firm examined how Lowrey had sought to transform the company by placing corporate purpose at the center of its strategy and operations. The interview discussed themes including the importance of talent development, the integration of environmental, social, and governance considerations into corporate strategy, and the challenge of managing a large-scale organizational transformation.

Lowrey was also recognized for his contributions to discussions on ethical leadership in business, as reflected in his writing for American Business Magazine on the subject of ethics in corporate management.

His appointment to the board of BNY in December 2025 was noted by multiple financial news outlets as an indication of his continued influence in the financial services industry following his transition from the CEO role at Prudential.