I’m seeing the same trend, and I don’t think you’re off base at all. There’s definitely been a shift toward short term cost savings over long term value. On paper it makes sense to some executives, lower salaries, more “energy,” whatever they want to call it, but what gets missed is exactly what you pointed out. Relationships, pattern recognition, and the ability to navigate gray areas that only come with time in the seat.
In this business especially, experience isn’t just about years. It’s about knowing how to keep deals together, how to read situations before they go sideways, and how to bring consistency that younger hires just haven’t had the chance to develop yet. You can’t plug that gap overnight, no matter how many people you hire.
There are still pockets in the industry that value that, but they tend to be the exception, not the rule, and usually tied to leadership that has been through the cycles themselves. The challenge is finding those cultures before you are already in the door.
You’re not wrong for questioning it. A lot of seasoned people are having the same conversation right now.

The problem is that no one wants to pay what your experience is worth. You’ll take several steps backward to transition, unless you’re willing to uproot your life and move across the country like you did in the first years of your career.