Chief executive officer

A chief executive officer (CEO) is the highest officer charged with the management of an organization, especially a company or nonprofit institution. That officer is also referred to as an "executive officer" or just "chief executive" (CE), or "managing director" (MD) in the UK.

CEOs find roles in various organizations, including public and private corporations, nonprofit organizations, and even some government organizations (notably state-owned enterprises). The CEO of a corporation or company typically reports to the board of directors and is charged with maximizing the value of the business,^[1] which may include maximizing the share price, market share, revenues, or another element. In the nonprofit and government sector, CEOs typically aim at achieving outcomes related to the organization's mission, usually provided by legislation. CEOs are also frequently assigned the role of the main manager of the organization and the highest-ranking officer in the C-suite.^[2]