Every Executive's ROI, Modelled Honestly
Eleven roles, one consistent methodology. The ROI Engine shows the current cost model, AI Workforce cost, annual savings, payback period, 3-year ROI, and productivity gain for every member of the C-suite — built on stated, auditable assumptions, not vendor-favourable guesswork. Adjust the calculator below to model your own organisation.
How These Numbers Are Built
Every figure on this page is derived from the same reference enterprise and the same formulas — shown here so you can stress-test them against your own numbers, not just take them on faith.
Reference enterprise: a $1B-revenue, ~5,000-employee global organisation with a typical functional headcount split and blended onshore/GCC fully-loaded cost rates.
- 1.Current Cost Model = function headcount × fully-loaded cost per FTE
- 2.Annual Savings = Current Cost Model × role-specific automation/reduction rate (benchmarked against published Anicalls case studies)
- 3.AI Workforce Cost = Current Cost Model − Annual Savings
- 4.Implementation Cost (one-time) = 25% of Current Cost Model — covering platform deployment, integration, and change management
- 5.Payback Period = Implementation Cost ÷ (Annual Savings ÷ 12)
- 6.3-Year ROI = ((Annual Savings × 3 − Implementation Cost) ÷ Implementation Cost) × 100
- 7.Productivity Gain = 1 ÷ (1 − reduction rate), expressed as effective output capacity per remaining FTE
To keep the model conservative and auditable, these figures exclude:
- Revenue upside from faster cycle times or higher conversion
- Risk-adjusted savings from reduced compliance incidents
- Attrition and re-hiring cost avoidance
Include those and the real ROI is higher than what's shown here — which is the point.
The Six Numbers Every Role Asks For
Modelled on the reference enterprise above. Your numbers will move with your actual headcount, cost base, and automation scope — use the calculator below to recompute them.
| Role | Current Cost Model | AI Workforce Cost | Annual Savings | Payback Period | 3-Year ROI | Productivity Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO (enterprise-wide) | $35.0M | $19.3M | $15.8M | 6.7 mo | 440% | 1.8× |
| CFO | $11.3M | $4.3M | $7.0M | 5.0 mo | 640% | 2.6× |
| COO | $33.0M | $16.5M | $16.5M | 6.0 mo | 500% | 2.0× |
| CHRO | $5.6M | $3.4M | $2.2M | 7.5 mo | 380% | 1.7× |
| CIO | $10.2M | $6.1M | $4.1M | 7.5 mo | 380% | 1.7× |
| CTO | $9.9M | $6.4M | $3.5M | 8.5 mo | 320% | 1.5× |
| CISO | $3.3M | $2.3M | $1.0M | 10.0 mo | 260% | 1.4× |
| CPO | $4.6M | $2.0M | $2.5M | 5.5 mo | 560% | 2.2× |
| CLO | $3.3M | $1.8M | $1.5M | 6.7 mo | 440% | 1.8× |
| CMO / CRO | $9.0M | $5.2M | $3.8M | 7.1 mo | 400% | 1.7× |
| CCO | $11.3M | $5.9M | $5.4M | 6.3 mo | 480% | 1.9× |
CISO and CTO show lower cost-driven ROI by design — these functions are augmented for risk reduction and reliability, not headcount replacement. See the Security & AI Governance Hub for how CISO value is measured beyond cost.
The Inputs Behind Every Row
| Role | Function Headcount | Fully-Loaded Cost / FTE | Automation / Reduction Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEO | 500 (blended back-office/ops) | $70K | 45% |
| CFO | 150 | $75K | 62% |
| COO | 600 | $55K | 50% |
| CHRO | 80 | $70K | 40% |
| CIO | 120 | $85K | 40% |
| CTO | 90 | $110K | 35% |
| CISO | 35 | $95K | 30% |
| CPO | 70 | $65K | 55% |
| CLO | 25 | $130K | 45% |
| CMO / CRO | 100 | $90K | 42% |
| CCO | 250 | $45K | 48% |
Model Your Own Numbers
Select your role, then adjust headcount and fully-loaded cost per FTE to match your organisation. The reduction rate updates automatically to the role's benchmark, but every input is yours to change.
Executive ROI Calculator
Select a role and adjust the inputs to model your own ROI
Turn This Into Your Board-Ready Business Case
We'll validate these numbers against your actual cost base and finance team's assumptions, and build a board-ready ROI model for your specific roles and functions.