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We’re all familiar with the traditional C-Suite roles that comprise the majority of an organisation’s senior leadership team, all of whom are instrumental when it comes to leading a business to success and making key decisions.
This can include titles such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief HR Officer (CHRO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO).
However, the C-Suite concept is rapidly evolving to meet modern workplace needs, including unprecedented commercial pressures, rising inflation and digital transformation.
If businesses are to keep up, they need to move with the times, and one way of doing this is to strategically hire the right people with the skills to take on these unprecedented responsibilities.
After all, this fresh new talent will have the power to meet the needs of changing work environments and add value moving forward.
Here, we explore eight roles which are newer to the C-suite arena, which we expect to see become increasingly prevalent over the coming months and years:
Chief Metaverse Officer (CMO)
As the concept of a fully immersive, computer-generated virtual world gains momentum, it’s likely, in turn, that the position of Chief Metaverse Officers will become a critical hire in the coming years.
This CMO will report to the CEO and be responsible for employee and customer experiences that straddle digital and virtual realms. The role will bring metaverse knowledge in-house; a critical capability given how new and unnavigated this tech is.
The fundamental role of this new senior professional is to educate the rest of the workforce about what the metaverse is and how a company can harness and take advantage of it to achieve greater profitability.
CMOs need to have a comprehensive understanding of how to enable technologies and tools in line with overall business strategy, all while being in sync with younger generations’ more sophisticated grasp of new tech and how they interact with platforms like the metaverse.
Chief Automation Officer (CAO)
Chief Automation Officers will oversee the implementation and management of automated and machine learning working practices across a business, from software technology to robots.
This chief will ultimately take responsibility for automation-led strategies, which ensure that AI is embedded where necessary across new products, frameworks and customer services and operations.
They also need to strike the right balance between machines and humans, so that the latter can use their skills to excel, while removing more time-consuming, admin-heavy manual processes.
The argument for appointing a CAO is that AI is increasingly becoming key to addressing and achieving business continuity.
Prior to this, automation was regarded as a means to reduce headcount and shave operational expenses. When presiding in this role, the goal is to provide a holistic view of automation for the entire organisation, rather than on an ad hoc, one-off project basis.
Chief Innovation Officer (CINO)
A Chief Innovation Officer is primarily responsible for managing the process of innovation in an organisation, as well as being in some cases, the person who originates new ideas and recognises those imagined by other people.
The CINO also manages the innovation process that identifies strategies, business opportunities and new technologies and then develops new capabilities and architectures with partners, business models and new industry structures to serve those opportunities.
A CINO should focus on breakthrough innovation, while delivering key principles such as leadership, creating networks, harnessing idea development, leveraging the right incentives and building a transparent and efficient innovation process.
Chief Data Officer (CDO)
Data is used in almost all departments within an organisation and having a C-Suite leader to make data-related decisions is invaluable. They are tasked with making informed, strategic choices as to when to use a piece of specific information or how to handle it.
With the right CDO in place, a business will perform more efficiently and productivity will be boosted which will allow for better engagement with customers, employees and other stakeholders. A CDO can also improve existing revenue streams, create new ones, and develop new business opportunities.
Chief Happiness Officer (CHO)
As organisations become increasingly employee-centric, a greater emphasis is being placed on wellbeing, which CHOs are responsible for managing.
This means that their efforts should be focused on lowering company-wide attrition rates and attracting diverse and relevant talent by offering the right workplace incentives.
To that end, a CHO acts as the liaison between management and employees to create an environment that will increase overall satisfaction levels. They often have skills in psychology, sociology, or human resources.
Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
As Corporate & Social Responsibility, (CSR) and Environmental & Social Governance (ESG) continue to rise to the fore, businesses need to think ahead and accommodate these societal needs and priorities.
A CSO can assist in this process by developing or executing strategies to address issues such as energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education, and building design. It’s also their job to supervise employees or volunteers working on sustainability projects.
Chief Inclusion Officer (CIO)
Being inclusive and promoting diversity is of top priority for business growth. A CIO can aid this process by devising and seeing diversity and inclusion strategies to fruition.
They should also take steps to promote collaboration between senior teams and department heads, manage employee discrimination and harassment complaints and address any diversity issues that underrepresented groups might face within the company.
Chief Growth Officer (CGO)
A Chief Growth Officer is responsible for eliminating departmental silos, so the organisation in question can achieve its strategic goals. They do this by being responsible for managing a company's expansion, whether measured in terms of revenue or perhaps audience growth.
A CGO's role is to collaborate, measure and provide support for growth initiatives and to reshape the organisation they work within to stay ahead of their customers’ or clients’ needs.
Executive Hiring Expertise
If you’re seeking to bolster your C-Suite team in 2023, our Executive Search solution offers specialist, tailored hiring strategies for senior appointments at executive level.
We execute this by harnessing our combination of high-quality industry expertise, an in-depth understanding of the recruitment world, dedicated senior search resources, and a team of professionals committed to supporting your long-term business goals. This means our solution:
Is bespoke and completely adaptable to the needs of your company
Guarantees high-level industry expertise
Focuses on lasting success, not quick wins
Encompasses efficient, reliable processes to suit any business
Yields the best Executive Search results at a lower cost
To start your Executive Talent search and find the perfect senior appointment for your business, get in touch with our Executive Search recruitment expert, Edward Manson: emanson@merje.com.
