Key Takeaways

  • The president is often the highest-ranking operational leader in a company, responsible for translating strategic vision into actionable plans and ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly.
  • Core responsibilities include setting goals, overseeing departments, building leadership teams, managing budgets, and representing the company externally.
  • Presidents differ from CEOs: while CEOs focus on long-term strategy and board relations, presidents are more hands-on with daily management and operational execution.
  • The president also plays a key role in governance, compliance, stakeholder relations, and succession planning, ensuring the company’s sustainability and growth.
  • In some companies, the president and CEO roles are combined, while in others, the president reports to the CEO or board of directors.

The president of a company is a business' leader. They will usually be company employees and will be responsible for directing the business and its other employees. 

What is a Company President?

The company president is an employee whose main duty is leading the business. Other entities besides businesses employ presidents, including:

  • Government agencies
  • Unions
  • Universities

In the chain of command of an organization, the president is usually at the very top. President can also refer to a job title. The purpose of this title is to indicate that the person is the leader of the entire organization or one part of the organization. For example, if a parent corporation owns several smaller companies, each company may have its own president.

In certain cases, the president would not be the top person in the organization. Instead, this position would be filled by a CEO who the president would report to. However, some organizations choose to have a single person fill both of these roles. Sometimes, the president and CEO of a company will also be the person that owns the company and may be its founder. If this is the case, the president and CEO would have a deep commitment to the business. 

Depending on the company, the person in charge can have a variety of different titles:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Chairman
  • President

Regardless of his or her title, the president will almost always be the top person in the company and will have a variety of responsibilities that he or she will need to fulfill. The president's main goal will be to direct the actions of the company's employees. In many cases, the president will also act as a manager, making sure the day-to-day company operations run smoothly. 

Core Role in Corporate Leadership

At its core, the president of a company serves as the bridge between the organization’s strategic vision and its operational execution. They are typically second in command after the CEO (or the top executive if no CEO exists) and ensure that high-level goals set by ownership or the board of directors are translated into tangible results.

The role extends beyond leadership titles — the president actively shapes company culture, builds executive teams, and aligns departments to work toward common objectives. They also represent the company to shareholders, investors, clients, and the public, making them a critical face of the organization.

In many companies, especially small to mid-sized businesses, the president is deeply involved in growth planning, competitive positioning, and long-term sustainability efforts. Their leadership style and decisions often directly impact company morale, market performance, and internal innovation.

Company President Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a company president can be vast. For example, one of the primary roles of the president is developing a vision for the organization, communicating this vision to the employees, and then implementing the vision. They will need to make sure that every employee is responsible for fulfilling this vision and that they are a vital part of the business.

A president will also be in charge of leading other company executives, including vice presidents and directors. The number of executives the president will be in charge of guiding will mostly depend on the company's size.

To effectively run the company, the president will need to regularly meet with the executive team. During these meetings, the president will ensure that every company decision has been thought out fully and that the executive team has an opportunity to express their ideas for the company. These meetings can also be used to developing a strategy for impressing on every employee his or her duties within the organization.

Developing and instituting a plan for the business's direction is another important responsibility of the company president. While developing this plan, the president should request input from employees, which can help make sure the plan actually reflects the needs of the business. Staffing the organization can also be a responsibility of the president, although larger corporations will often have another person assume this role.

The president will also need to regularly evaluate the company's success. If the president finds that the company isn't succeeding as fully as possible, they will need to reevaluate the direction of the business and come up with a solution for getting back on track. Finally, but most importantly, the president must make sure that everyone is aware of the competitive landscape both inside and outside the company. He or she should be looking for opportunities to attract new customers, branch into new markets, and expand the company. 

Strategic and Operational Duties in Detail

To fully understand what does the president of a company do, it’s important to break their responsibilities into key areas that span across both high-level strategy and daily operations:

  • Strategic Planning: Presidents develop and execute strategic initiatives to drive growth, including market expansion, mergers and acquisitions, product development, and competitive positioning.
  • Operational Oversight: They ensure that day-to-day functions align with the company’s mission and objectives, coordinating departments like sales, marketing, finance, and human resources.
  • Financial Stewardship: Presidents often work closely with CFOs to develop budgets, monitor financial performance, and ensure efficient allocation of resources.
  • Corporate Governance and Compliance: They help ensure the company complies with legal, regulatory, and ethical standards, particularly in industries with complex compliance requirements.
  • Stakeholder Communication: The president often serves as the key spokesperson for the company, maintaining transparent communication with shareholders, employees, customers, and the board.
  • Leadership Development: Building and mentoring a strong leadership team is a vital part of the president’s role, as is planning for succession in key positions.
  • Innovation and Growth: Presidents must identify new opportunities, invest in research and development, and champion technological advancements to maintain a competitive edge.

Their leadership directly influences organizational structure, employee engagement, and long-term success, making the role far more hands-on than many realize.

President vs. CEO

There are some differences between the president of a company and the CEO. For example, the president is sometimes referred to as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), whereas the CEO is the Chief Executive Officer. While COOs and CEOs are similar in some ways, there are important differences, including the scope of their responsibilities.

The CEO, for example, is mostly concerned with heading the Board of Directors. Usually, the CEO will be the chairman of the board, and they may also be the company's public face. The focus of the CEO is one the overarching concerns of the company, including long-term performance. In contrast, presidents mostly work on daily operations.

When Roles Overlap and Differ

The relationship between the president and CEO can vary significantly based on company size, structure, and industry. In some organizations, one person holds both titles — streamlining decision-making and leadership but concentrating authority. In others, the roles are separate, with the CEO focused on vision and external relations and the president on execution and internal management.

Key distinctions include:

  • Focus: CEOs look outward (market trends, investors, strategic partnerships), while presidents look inward (operations, team performance, internal processes).
  • Decision-Making: CEOs make high-level strategic calls, while presidents ensure those decisions are implemented effectively.
  • Reporting Structure: The president typically reports to the CEO or the board, whereas the CEO reports directly to the board of directors or shareholders.

In founder-led companies, these lines often blur — the founder may serve as both president and CEO to maintain close control over strategy and execution. However, as companies grow, separating the roles can improve operational focus and leadership efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What does the president of a company do on a daily basis?
    The president oversees daily operations, manages executive teams, monitors financial performance, meets with department heads, and ensures strategic initiatives are on track.
  2. Is the president higher than the CEO?
    Typically, the CEO outranks the president, focusing on long-term strategy and board relations. The president usually reports to the CEO and handles internal operations.
  3. Can a company have both a president and a CEO?
    Yes. Many companies appoint both to separate strategic and operational responsibilities. In smaller businesses, one person often holds both titles.
  4. Who appoints the president of a company?
    The board of directors typically appoints the president, though in privately held companies, the founder or ownership group may make the decision.
  5. What skills make a successful company president?
    Effective presidents combine strategic thinking, operational expertise, strong communication, leadership, financial literacy, and the ability to inspire and manage teams.

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