Chief Executive Officer
Snapshot
Chief executive officers hold the highest ranking in a pyramidal corporate structure. They are able to hold a complete idea of the functioning of the business, its departments, risks, and stakeholders. They analyse different kinds of information and create links among them for decision-making purposes. They serve as a communication link with the board of directors for reporting and implementation of the overall strategy.
The chief executive officer (CEO) sits at the apex of a company's structure, possessing a comprehensive understanding of its operations, departments, potential risks, and key stakeholders. Your days will involve analyzing complex information, identifying connections between different areas of the business, and making critical decisions that impact the entire organization. You act as the primary liaison between the company and its board of directors, communicating progress and ensuring the overall strategy is effectively implemented.
- • Developing and executing the company’s strategic plan.
- • Overseeing all departments and ensuring alignment with company goals.
- • Managing financial performance and ensuring profitability.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Chief executives, senior officials and legislators — 23 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Denmark, Italy, Malta, Slovakia.
Longest-running shortage: Malta, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
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Future Outlook for chief executive officer
The outlook for chief executive officer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could chief executive officer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- conclude business agreements
- establish collaborative relations
- negotiate with stakeholders
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse business plans
- interpret financial statements
- analyse financial performance of a company
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Management & Entrepreneurship
A typical day as a chief executive officer
09 09:00 · Morning develop business plans
10 10:30 · Mid-morning analyse business plans
12 12:00 · Midday develop revenue generation strategies
14 14:00 · Afternoon analyse financial performance of a company
15 15:30 · Late afternoon assume responsibility for the management of a business
17 17:00 · Wrap-up build trust
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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strive for company growth
Develop strategies and plans aiming at achieving a sustained company growth, be the company self-owned or somebody else's. Strive with actions to increase revenues and positive cash flows.
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shape corporate culture
Observe and define the elements in the corporate culture of a company in order to reinforce, integrate and shape further the codes, values, beliefs and behaviours aligned with the company's aims.
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develop revenue generation strategies
Elaborate methodologies through which a company markets and sells a product or service to generate income.
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integrate shareholders' interests in business plans
Listen to the perspectives, interests, and vision of the owners of the company in order to translate those guidelines into pragmatic business actions and plans.
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develop company strategies
Envision, plan, and develop strategies for companies and organisations aimed at achieving different purposes such as establishing new markets, refurbishing the equipment and machinery of a company, implementing pricing strategies, etc.
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develop business plans
Plan, write and collaborate in the implement business plans. Include and foresee in the business plan the market strategy, the competitive analysis of the company, the design and the development of the plan, the operations and the management aspects and the financial forecast of the business plan.
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integrate strategic foundation in daily performance
Reflect on the strategic foundation of companies, meaning their mission, vision, and values in order to integrate this foundation in the performance of the job position.
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develop organisational policies
Develop and supervise the implementation of policies aimed at documenting and detailing the procedures for the operations of the organisation in the lights of its strategic planning.
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define organisational standards
Write, implement and foster the internal standards of the company as part of the business plans for the operations and levels of performance that the company intends to achieve.
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conclude business agreements
Negotiate, revise, and sign mercantile and business documents such as contracts, business agreements, deeds, purchases and wills, and bills of exchange.
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negotiate with stakeholders
Negotiate compromises with stakeholders and strive to reach the most beneficial agreements for the company. May involve building relationships with suppliers and customers, as well as ensuring products are profitable.
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imprint visionary aspirations into the business management
Integrate ambition and visionary plans in both the planning and the day-to-day operations in order to set goals for the company to strive for.
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plan medium to long term objectives
Schedule long term objectives and immediate to short term objectives through effective medium-term planning and reconciliation processes.
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establish collaborative relations
Establish a connection between organisations or individuals which may benefit from communicating with one another in order to facilitate an enduring positive collaborative relationship between both parties.
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build trust
Express intentions and behaviour in a coherent and transparent manner, inviting reciprocity and establishing the grounds for a trusting and reliable connection between people and teams.
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interpret financial statements
Read, understand, and interpret the key lines and indicators in financial statements. Extract the most important information from financial statements depending on the needs and integrate this information in the development of the department's plans.
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analyse financial performance of a company
Analyse the performance of the company in financial matters in order to identify improvement actions that could increase profit, based on accounts, records, financial statements and external information of the market.
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lead managers of company departments
Collaborate and guide the managers of the departments of a company in terms of the objectives of the company, the actions, and expectations required from their managerial scope.
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analyse business plans
Analyse the formal statements from businesses which outline their business goals and the strategies they set in place to meet them, in order to assess the feasibility of the plan and verify the business' ability to meet external requirements such as the repayment of a loan or return of investments.
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track key performance indicators
Identify the quantifiable measures that a company or industry uses to gauge or compare performance in terms of meeting their operational and strategic goals, using preset performance indicators.
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liaise with shareholders
Communicate and serve as communication point with shareholders in order to provide an overview on their investments, returns, and long-term plans of the company to increase profitability.
business process modelling
The tools, methods and notations such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), used to describe and analyse the characteristics of a business process and model its further development.
company policies
The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.
airport environmental regulations
The official regulations for environmental standards in airports as dictated by national codes for planning airport facilities and related developments. These include regulatory aspects which govern noise and environmental aspects, sustainability measures, and impacts in relation to land use, emissions, and wildlife hazard mitigation.
airport operating environment
Thoroughly understand the airport operating environment, the operational characteristics, services, activities, and procedures of a general aviation airport service area, as well as of those of the suppliers, partners, and other airport agencies.
airport planning
The principles and procedures that govern the development of airports in order to meet the demand for aviation services and comply with the applicable regulations.
- financial management
- financial statements
- marketing management
- business law
- international trade
- joint ventures
- mergers and acquisitions
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Scan to continue on mobilePath to become a chief executive officer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Master's or equivalent level
Real programmes leading to this occupation, by country.
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does chief executive officer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What skills are most important for a chief executive officer?
- Beyond strong leadership and communication abilities, a CEO needs exceptional analytical skills to interpret data and make informed decisions. Strategic thinking, risk management, and the ability to build and maintain relationships are also crucial.
- Does this role typically involve working independently or as part of a team?
- While a CEO ultimately makes high-level decisions, this role is primarily an employment-based position. You’ll lead and collaborate with a large team of professionals across various departments, requiring strong interpersonal and delegation skills.
- How does a CEO typically interact with the board of directors?
- The CEO serves as the primary point of contact between the company and the board. This includes regularly reporting on performance, seeking guidance on strategic initiatives, and ensuring the board is informed of any significant developments or challenges.
- How much does Chief Executive Officer pay in the United States?
- $206,420 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $97,510 to $341,630. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated September 20, 2026 About our data