Who is Higher in the Corporate Hierarchy: CEO or COO?

The CEO is the highest-ranking executive in any company and holds the most important position. The COO is the second in command and reports to the CEO. Depending on the structure of the company, the CEO could be accountable to the board of directors, investors, or company founders. The COO is responsible for managing the daily operations and administrative functions of the company, while the CEO makes major corporate decisions and is the public face of the company.

The executive director (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive in any company and his main responsibilities include managing the company's operations and resources, making major corporate decisions, being the main liaison between the board of directors and corporate operations, and being the public face of the company. An executive director, or CEO for short, is a role that should be added as soon as operations begin. The chief operating officer (COO) is a senior executive responsible for overseeing the daily administrative and operational functions of a company. The COO also works closely with the chief financial officer (CFO), chief information officer (CIO) and other officials to make appropriate operational adjustments. In top management, the most outstanding positions are CEO, COO and CFO: the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer. A COO (or director of operations) reports to the CEO and is considered second in command.

The COO is responsible for implementing and overseeing the operations, processes and strategies of a company to fulfill its overall mission and vision. The COO usually works closely with other executives such as the chief financial officer (CFO), chief information officer (CIO) and other officials to make appropriate operational adjustments. The CEO is ultimately responsible for making major corporate decisions and being the public face of a company. The COO is responsible for managing its daily operations and administrative functions. In general, it can be said that a CEO holds a higher organizational rank than a COO as they are ultimately responsible for making major decisions that will shape a company's future.