Women’s steady climb to CEO jobs and board seats is stalling amid a perfect storm of politics, economic uncertainty, and changing management tracks

In late October, mortgage giant Fannie Mae announced its CEO Priscilla Almodovar was stepping down. The next day, defense contractor SAIC said it was parting ways with its CEO Toni Townes-Whitley. The following month, Walmart appointed its new CEO. and it was not chief executive of its international division, Kath McLay, who was thought to be a candidate. 

CEO exits and chief executive contenders not getting the top job are normal machinations of corporate C-Suites, but this year they’ve added up to a stark trend...