Corporate officer encyclopedia topics

Corporate officer - 2 reference results

Corporate titles are titles conferred on individuals as a means of identifying their function in the organization. Titles vary by the type of organization, the sector that it is, whether it is for-profit or non-profit, public or private, partnership or sole proprietorship. Some sectors, such as educational institutions, have particular titles. Titles are an important aspect of corporate governance.

Variations

There are considerable variations in the hierarchical structure of companies. For instance, some corporations have a Chairman and CEO for a chief administrator, while the number two is the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO); other companies however, have a President and CEO with no official deputy. Executive Vice President is commonly used as the title for a division head. However, this position can also be referred to as Vice Chairman, or even President and CEO of the division, depending upon the corporation's structure. Corporate titles are sometimes given more for prestige than out of any differentiation in job function. For example, Roy E. Disney, who is a former director of The Walt Disney Company, is now the Director Emeritus of the board. The position holds no real influence, but is meant as a sign of respect to the Disney Legend.

Corporate titles

"C-level", also top-level, titles begin with the term "chief."

The most common titles are chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Other titles in widespread use are chief information officer, chief administrative officer, chief communications officer, creative director (or chief creative officer), chief operating officer, and chief technical officer. A director or manager of human resources is often considered a C-level title.

Other corporate titles include:

Bill Gates took the title of Chief Software Architect of Microsoft. Chief Medical Officers in the United Kingdom advise the government on health policy.

Board of directors

The board of directors (or governing board) plays a strategic role in many corporations. Individuals who comprise the governing board are called members or directors. Most governing boards appoint four officers, including the president (or chair), vice president (or vice chair), secretary, and treasurer.

Senior management

Senior management refers to the highest-ranking employees of the corporation, such as the C-suite executives, who concern themselves with day-to-day operations.

Other titles

Other titles include that of founder (sometimes combined with CEO, as in founder/CEO), general manager, and owner. Executive director, non-executive director, and managing director are also important terms.