What is a CEO?

A CEO, or Chief Executive Officer, is the head of an organization or corporation and is the top ranking executive. A CEO runs a company by managing various elements, including its mission, vision, formulation, implementation, and direction. In early-stage companies and startups, CEOs wear many hats and handle everything: hiring firing, marketing and sales, operations, fundraising, public relations, strategic partnerships, planning, HR, taxes, bookkeeping, team building, and the delegation of tasks.