The Deputy CEO is a senior role that supports and often deputises for the chief executive — and, like many senior titles, means different things in different businesses. Here is what it involves.
A senior right hand
A Deputy CEO is a senior leader positioned just below the CEO, supporting them and often carrying significant leadership responsibility across the business. They may deputise for the CEO when needed, share the running of the company, or lead major parts of it. The role signals real seniority — a genuine second-in-command — though what it specifically involves depends on what the CEO delegates and how the business has defined it.
Partner or successor
Deputy CEO roles tend to serve one of two purposes. Sometimes the role is a genuine partnership — a senior leader sharing the load of running a large or complex business alongside the CEO, complementing their strengths. Other times it is a succession role — a CEO-in-waiting being prepared and proven before stepping up. Understanding which purpose a Deputy CEO role serves is central to understanding it, and shapes both the remit and who suits it.
How it relates to President and COO
The Deputy CEO overlaps with roles like President and COO, which similarly sit just below the CEO — and the titles are often used interchangeably for comparable roles. What matters is less the label than the actual remit: what the person owns, what authority they hold, and how they relate to the CEO. As with any such senior title, defining the real role matters more than the name.
What it means for hiring
Because a Deputy CEO role varies and often carries succession implications, hiring one requires clarity about its purpose — partner or successor — and the CEO relationship. A retained search defines the specific remit and finds a leader whose strengths, ambitions, and fit with the CEO match what the role genuinely needs.
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Explore Executive Search →Frequently asked questions
What does a Deputy CEO do?
They support the CEO as a senior second-in-command, often deputising for them and carrying significant leadership responsibility — sometimes as a partner in running the business, sometimes as a CEO-in-waiting. The specifics depend on what the CEO delegates.
Is a Deputy CEO the next CEO?
Sometimes — a Deputy CEO role can be a succession role, preparing a CEO-in-waiting. But it can also be a genuine partnership role, a senior leader sharing the running of the business. The purpose varies and should be defined.
Related: What Does a President Do? · What Does a COO Do? · What Is Succession Planning?
