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 company from December 2018 until March 31, 2025, when he transitioned to the executive chairman role following the appointment of Andrew Sullivan as his successor. During his tenure as CEO, Lowrey oversaw a significant strategic transformation of the 150-year-old company, repositioning its portfolio of businesses and emphasizing purpose-driven leadership. A graduate of Princeton University, Harvard Law School, and the Yale School of Architecture, Lowrey spent his entire corporate career at Prudential, rising through its international and domestic operations before assuming the top leadership position. In December 2025, he was elected to the board of directors of Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY), effective February 15, 2026.

Early Life

Charles F. Lowrey Jr. is an American national. Details regarding his early childhood and family background remain largely private. Public records indicate that he grew up with interests that would eventually lead him to pursue education across multiple disciplines, including architecture, law, and business.

Lowrey attended Princeton University, where he was a member of the Class of 1979. His connection to Princeton continued well into his professional career; he returned to campus as a speaker for events such as Financial Literacy Day, where he addressed students and alumni in his capacity as Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial.

Education

Lowrey holds degrees from three Ivy League institutions. He earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University as part of the Class of 1979. He subsequently attended the Yale School of Architecture, where he studied architecture. He later obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

This multidisciplinary educational background—spanning the humanities, design, and law—distinguished Lowrey among his peers in the financial services industry. In his interview with McKinsey & Company, Lowrey discussed how his varied academic training informed his approach to leadership and strategic thinking at Prudential Financial.

Career

Early Career at Prudential

Lowrey's career at Prudential Financial spanned several decades, during which he held a series of increasingly senior leadership positions across the company's domestic and international operations. Before rising to the executive suite, Lowrey gained extensive experience in Prudential's real estate and international insurance businesses.

His roles within the company provided him with a broad understanding of Prudential's diverse business lines, including insurance underwriting, investment management, real estate, and retirement services. This cross-functional experience was instrumental in preparing him for the chief executive role.

Head of International Businesses

Prior to becoming CEO, Lowrey served as the head of Prudential's International Businesses division, overseeing the company's operations in markets across Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. In this capacity, he was responsible for managing Prudential's global insurance and investment operations outside of the United States, which represented a significant growth engine for the company.

Lowrey's international experience gave him a perspective on emerging markets and the role of financial services in economic development. Under his leadership, Prudential's international division expanded its footprint and deepened its relationships with partners in key growth markets. This international orientation later influenced his strategic vision for the company as CEO.

Prudential's engagement with impact investing during this period was also notable. In 2016, Prudential committed $500 million to LeapFrog Investments, a firm focused on financial technology and insurance in Africa and other emerging markets. This partnership reflected Prudential's broader strategy under Lowrey and the executive team to combine commercial objectives with social impact.

Appointment as CEO

On September 12, 2018, Prudential Financial announced that Lowrey would succeed John Strangfeld as the company's next Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2018. As part of the leadership transition, Scott Sleyster, another senior executive, was named head of the company's international operations, while Mark Grier, the outgoing vice chairman, was succeeded by Robert Falzon.

The announcement was closely watched by analysts and investors, as Prudential Financial is one of the largest financial services companies in the United States, with operations spanning life insurance, annuities, retirement services, asset management, and real estate brokerage. Lowrey's selection reflected the board's confidence in his ability to lead the company through a period of strategic transformation and market change.

Strategic Transformation

As CEO, Lowrey embarked on what he described as a comprehensive transformation of Prudential Financial, aimed at repositioning the company for long-term growth and resilience. In an extensive interview with McKinsey & Company published in August 2022, Lowrey outlined the key elements of this strategy, which centered on reshaping Prudential's portfolio of businesses, investing in technology and data analytics, and embedding a sense of purpose into the company's corporate culture.

Lowrey explained that when he assumed the CEO role, he and the leadership team undertook a thorough review of Prudential's business units, seeking to identify which operations were best positioned for future growth and which were less aligned with the company's strategic direction. This process led to significant divestitures and reallocations of capital, as the company sought to reduce exposure to capital-intensive businesses and increase its focus on higher-growth, higher-return segments.

A central theme of Lowrey's leadership was the integration of corporate purpose into business strategy. He articulated a vision for Prudential as a company that could deliver strong financial results while also addressing broader societal challenges, particularly around financial inclusion, retirement security, and access to insurance in underserved markets. Lowrey argued that purpose and profit were not mutually exclusive, and that companies that aligned their strategies with a clear sense of purpose were better positioned to attract talent, build trust with customers, and generate sustainable returns for shareholders.

In a 2023 article published in American Business Magazine, Lowrey discussed the importance of ethics and ethical leadership in business, framing them as essential ingredients for long-term success. This public emphasis on ethical governance was consistent with his broader approach to corporate leadership throughout his tenure.

Executive Compensation

Lowrey's compensation as CEO drew attention from industry analysts. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, Lowrey was the highest-compensated CEO of a publicly traded U.S. life insurer in both 2022 and 2024. The S&P Global analysis placed Lowrey at the top of the executive compensation rankings among his peers in the life insurance sector for 2024, based on total reported compensation figures.

CEO Succession and Transition to Executive Chairman

On December 4, 2024, Prudential Financial announced that Andrew Sullivan, then serving as Executive Vice President, would succeed Lowrey as CEO effective March 31, 2025. The announcement was also reported by The Wall Street Journal, which noted that Lowrey would step down as CEO but remain with the company as Executive Chairman of the Board.

The succession was characterized as an orderly leadership transition. Sullivan, who had served in a range of senior roles at Prudential including leadership of U.S. businesses, assumed the CEO position on the planned date. Lowrey's transition to the executive chairman role allowed for continuity in governance and strategic oversight during the leadership handover.

Following the transition, Prudential reported a first-quarter 2025 profit gain driven by strong underwriting performance in the company's U.S. Businesses unit under Sullivan's initial leadership, suggesting continuity in the strategic direction established during Lowrey's tenure.

Board Memberships and Advisory Roles

In December 2025, Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY) announced that Lowrey had been elected to its board of directors, effective February 15, 2026. His appointment brought the total number of BNY directors to 12, of whom 11 are independent. BNY, one of the world's largest custodian banks and asset servicing companies, cited Lowrey's extensive experience in financial services and corporate governance as factors in his selection.

In September 2025, it was reported that Lowrey had joined the global leadership council of LeapFrog Investments, an impact investment firm focused on financial services and healthcare companies serving emerging market consumers. Lowrey's involvement with LeapFrog reflected the long-standing relationship between the impact investor and Prudential, dating back to the company's $500 million investment in 2016.

Public and Civic Engagement

New Jersey Economic Restart Advisory Council

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy formed a commission to advise on the reopening of the state's economy. Lowrey was among the business leaders included in this advisory effort, reflecting his prominence in New Jersey's business community and Prudential Financial's role as one of the state's largest employers.

Choose New Jersey CEO Council

Lowrey also participated in the Choose New Jersey CEO Council, an organization that partners with business leaders to promote economic development and job growth in the state of New Jersey.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Lowrey was elected co-chair of the board of directors 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 plays a central role in the cultural life of the region.

Personal Life

Lowrey maintains a relatively private personal life. He is a graduate of three Ivy League institutions — Princeton, Yale, and Harvard — and has remained connected to his alma maters, particularly Princeton, where he has participated in alumni and student engagement events.

He resides in the New Jersey area, consistent with his long tenure at Prudential Financial, which is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey.

Recognition

Lowrey's leadership at Prudential Financial received attention from business media and industry organizations throughout his tenure as CEO. His ranking as the highest-compensated CEO among publicly traded U.S. life insurers in multiple years underscored his prominence within the industry.

His interview with McKinsey & Company, published in 2022, was part of the firm's series on corporate transformation and purpose-driven leadership, positioning Lowrey among a select group of CEOs whose strategic approaches were highlighted for a global business audience.

Lowrey's election to the board of BNY in December 2025 further reflected his standing in the financial services sector, as the appointment placed him in a governance role at one of the world's largest financial institutions.

His civic contributions in New Jersey, including his role on the Governor's economic restart advisory council during the COVID-19 pandemic and his co-chairmanship of the NJPAC board, reflected his engagement beyond the corporate sphere.

Legacy

Charles Lowrey's tenure as CEO of Prudential Financial from 2018 to 2025 encompassed a period of significant transformation for the company. Under his leadership, Prudential undertook a strategic repositioning of its business portfolio, divesting certain capital-intensive operations and investing in higher-growth segments, with the stated goal of creating a more agile and purpose-driven organization.

His emphasis on integrating corporate purpose with business strategy represented a notable element of his leadership philosophy. By publicly articulating the view that financial performance and societal impact could be mutually reinforcing, Lowrey contributed to broader conversations within the financial services industry about the role of large corporations in addressing social challenges such as retirement security, financial inclusion, and access to insurance.

The orderly succession to Andrew Sullivan in 2025, and Lowrey's continuation in the executive chairman role, suggested a governance model emphasizing institutional continuity and long-term strategic stability. His subsequent appointment to the BNY board and involvement with LeapFrog Investments indicated a continued engagement with leadership roles in the financial services and impact investing sectors following his transition from the CEO position.