CEO (Chief Executive Officer): Definition, Roles & Responsibilities

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The chief executive officer (CEO) is the top position in a business.
• CEOs oversee business operations.
• They report to the Board of Directors (BOD).
• The BOD elects the CEO in most cases.

Understanding What Chief Executive Officers Do

Each company has different expectations for its CEO. Roles can vary a lot based on the size of a company. CEOs of the largest companies often serve at a higher level, while CEOs of smaller businesses are more hands-on. Examples of CEO responsibilities include:

• Business strategy
• Organization
• Culture
• Problem-Solving

CEOs work closely with other corporate executives to set business goals. They also assess how solutions are working for their teams and customers and make complex decisions. The CEO often sets the tone for the company by outlining a vision and prioritizing goals. 

Harvard Business conducted a study that broke down how CEOs spend their time on an average day. CEOs spend around 72% of their time in meetings versus working alone the other 28% of the time. A more detailed breakdown of time includes:

• 25% of time spent on relationships
• 25% of time spent on business review
• 21% of time spent on corporate strategy
• 16% of time spent on culture and overall organization
• 3% of time on customer relations
• 1% of time on managing crises 

CEO Salaries 

Salaries vary greatly based on company size. The average CEO salary is $24 million among the largest 350 U.S. companies. In addition to salaries, CEOs also enjoy elevated benefit options that may be exclusive to executive team members. These include added value to 401K and pensions, healthcare plans, and paid time off (PTO). 

CEOs are known for making significantly more than regular employee positions. This is because CEOs often serve as the face of a company and have the responsibility of making crucial business decisions in a time of crisis. 

Executive Positions Related to the CEO

The executive-level team in an organization is often called the C-suite. Other senior executives include:

• Chief financial officer (CFO)
• Chief operating officer (COO)
• Chair of board (COB)

Businesses may assign other c-level officers based on unique needs. However, corporate officers usually make up a smaller group of individuals. This team has other leaders working underneath them.

CEO Functions vs COB Functions

The CEO oversees business operations. The COB partners with the board of directors to oversee the company as a whole. Sometimes the CEO and COB are the same people. Most companies choose to have different people in these positions so there is clarity of differences between roles. The board can overrule any CEO decisions with a vote. But, the CEO or COB cannot overrule board decisions in the same way. 

CEO Functions vs CFO Functions

The CFO focuses solely on corporate finance. They create and maintain the company budget and make adjustments as needed to accommodate economical changes. The CFO recommends changes to the CEO and board to strengthen the business. This may include:

• Assessing risk
• Offering statistics on the cost of equity and cost of debt
• Tracking cash flows
• Overseeing investments

CEO Functions vs COO Functions

The COO is usually second in line to the CEO. This person leads human resources and is more hands-on with day-to-day company operations. Their responsibilities include:

• Recruiting talent
• Legal concerns
• Payroll
• Training
• Administration

CEO Functions vs Board Chairpersons Functions

The board chairman is usually in a higher ranking position than the CEO. They act as a liaison between the board and the CEO. At the same time, the CEO acts as a liaison between the organization and the board. These two individuals work closely together to oversee company performance and make corporate decisions.

Summary

Many companies have a chief executive officer (CEO) who leads the organization. This person often oversees business operations and reports to the board of directors. Private companies may hire or promote a CEO. Public companies often vote to elect the CEO. Most of the time CEOs have higher education in addition to industry experience.