Comparison · 13 material differences
C12 vs The CEO Institute
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Peer advisory
Verified September 2026 C12
Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue.
Peer advisory
The CEO Institute
CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with parallel programmes for senior executives, chief people officers and emerging…
What the records say
- Role or title — C12: CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general manager; The CEO Institute: The CEO Syndicate: CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisation.
- Minimum company revenue — C12: Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenue; The CEO Institute: No published minimum company revenue.
- Minimum employees — C12: 10 or more employees; The CEO Institute: No published minimum employees.
- Geographic restriction — C12: No published geographic restriction; The CEO Institute: Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for in-person syndicates; online programmes are open more widely.
- Annual dues — C12: C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally.; The CEO Institute: Not publicly disclosed. The Institute's own FAQ says only: "Membership costs vary depending on the programme, location and membership category.".
Side by side
| C12 | The CEO Institute | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1992 (Founded in October 1992 by Buck Jacobs, reportedly in Florida, to bring Christian business owners and chief executives together in small peer groups.) | 1992 ("The CEO Institute was founded in 1992, in Melbourne Australia. The first meeting of The CEO Syndicate Program was held in June, 1992" per its own About page.) |
| Headquarters | United States | Melbourne, Australia |
| Geographic footprint | More than 160 metropolitan areas across five continents, with named operations including Brazil, South Africa, Kenya and Malaysia | Australia, New Zealand and Singapore: syndicates in Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Parramatta, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Singapore, plus online programmes |
| Members | 4,900as of September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed as a current figure. The organisation states it has "supported 5,726 members and alumni, and awarded 718 certifications" since 1992, which is a cumulative total rather than active membership. |
| Chapters | Not publicly disclosed as a forum count. C12 states it operates in "more than 160 major metropolitan areas" and is guided by "over 250 full-time Chairs", but publishes no total number of Forums. | 14 |
| Primary audience | Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue. | CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with parallel programmes for senior executives, chief people officers and emerging leaders |
| Typical member | Members are Christian CEOs, owners, presidents, managing partners, executive directors and business-unit general managers. C12 reports an average member tenure of five to seven years, with some members of several decades' standing. | Members of The CEO Syndicate are CEOs, managing directors, founders and owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisation. The Executive Syndicate takes COOs, CFOs, CPOs, CMOs, CTOs, general managers and divisional heads. No revenue or headcount threshold is published. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general managerKey Player Forums exist separately for senior executives and managers below CEO level at member companies.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | The CEO Syndicate: CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisationverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenueStated in C12's FAQ; C12's apply-to-join page states the employee test without repeating a revenue minimum.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum company revenue |
| Minimum employees | 10 or more employeesverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum employees |
| Geographic restriction | No published geographic restriction | Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for in-person syndicates; online programmes are open more widelyverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | Yes | No |
| Sponsor required | Not documented | No |
| Application process | Candidates complete an application covering personal, business and financial information, and agree to a membership covenant on attendance and doctrine. C12 describes membership as invitation-only but open to any qualifying Christian CEO, owner or executive who meets the employee and revenue tests. | An enquiry form or brochure request goes to one of the Institute's Directors, who discusses the applicant's role, business and market to establish whether a syndicate is a fit. The Institute then matches the member to a Chair and a group with the right mix of experience, business complexity and industry diversity, checking for conflicts of interest. Membership applications for the face-to-face programme are completed on a form with conditions of membership obtained from the local office. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. C12 publishes no acceptance rate. | Not publicly disclosed. The Institute describes a careful matching process designed to protect syndicate integrity, but publishes no acceptance rate. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | Not publicly disclosed. The Institute's own FAQ says only: "Membership costs vary depending on the programme, location and membership category."verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Monthly dues | Not publicly disclosed. C12 states it is "a dues-based membership paid monthly" and that "dues amounts are determined locally based on market economics and dynamics". Dues cover monthly meetings, materials and one individual coaching session.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. Pricing is quoted after a conversation with one of the Institute's Directors and varies by programme, location and membership category. |
| Initiation fee | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Dues paid monthly; C12 reports average member tenure of five to seven years | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly in-person Forum plus a monthly one-hour FOCUS60 coaching session; C12 states the total commitment is less than 100 hours a year | CEO Syndicate members meet monthly for half a day, plus breakfast, lunch and summit events and an annual CEO Retreat |
| Peer forums | Monthly invitation-only Forums of Christian CEOs, owners and executives led by a full-time C12 Chair, described as sitting with around a dozen proven leaders. C12 does not publish an exact average Forum size. | Syndicates of 12-16 non-competing CEOs and founders led by an experienced Chair, matched by region and business complexity |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential and invitation-only; C12 does not publish the text of its confidentiality terms. | "Confidentiality is central to The CEO Syndicate experience"; conversations are described as treated with discretion and respect |
| Time commitment | Less than 100 hours a year per C12 | Half a day a month for the CEO Syndicate, plus optional events |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | No | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Not documented | Partial |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Partial | Yes |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | Partial |
| Investment discussions | No | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | No |
| Networking emphasis | Medium | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
Next
Last verified: not yet reviewed
Report an error on this page
Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: C12 · The CEO Institute