His or her mission is to execute the strategy of the company or of a part of the company under the leadership of the President or CEO.
The Chief Operating Officer has operational roles. Hemakes sure that the company runs seamlessly on a daily basis. He is helped with a team of seasoned managers. He supervises the main processes. He is sharp and fast to spot the potential issues. He hires the key people and is a strong leader inspiring the teams in their daily challenges. He personally meets with the key customers and key suppliers. He has broad autonomy, and a large delegation of authority and responsibility.
The Chief Operating Officer has strategic roles. He assists his President or CEO to make the right strategic choices. He makes sure the company can execute the strategy. He identifies new opportunities and participates in key acquisitions. He sometimes attends the Board of Directors in spite of the fact that the shareholders’ relation is an area covered by the President. He attends and sometimes heads the Executive Committee.
The most common titles covering the responsability of Chief Operating Officer or COO include Managing Director - MD - General Manager - or - GM -.