chief executive

American  

[cheef ig-zek-yuh-tiv] / ˈtʃif ɪgˈzɛk yə tɪv /

noun

1. the president of the United States.

   the powers of the chief executive, as granted by the Constitution.

2. the governor of a U.S. state.

   the newly elected chief executive of Rhode Island.

3. the head of a government.

   a conference attended by all the European chief executives.

4. Also called chief executive officer.  the head of an organization, company, etc..

   the chief executive of a media corporation.

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chief executive British  

noun

1. the person with overall responsibility for the efficient running of a company, organization, etc

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Etymology

Origin of chief executive

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

Murrell, who was SNP chief executive between 2001 and 2023, admitted that he had embezzled more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year-period.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Tyson Foods TSN 1.37%increase; green up pointing triangle has tapped board member and former Procter & Gamble sales head Jeff Schomburger to succeed Donnie King as president and chief executive of the meat processor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

"It's an interesting new market where Europe is strong... Europe has significant high-end manufacturing companies," chief executive Arthur Mensch told reporters ahead of the company's AI conference in the French capital.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Loeb, the founder and chief executive of the hedge fund Third Point, was asked about the hardest lesson he’s ever learned on the “Invest Like the Best” podcast that was published on Thursday.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Perot had routinely rubbed shoulders with the most powerful men in the world—presidents, senators, heads of state, chief executive officers of Fortune 500 companies.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger