A Chief Executive Officer is the person who makes the final decisions for the business and ensures everything runs smoothly.

If you're a CEO, you'd be the head of the company. A Chief Executive Officer is the person who makes the final decisions for the business and ensures everything runs smoothly. CEOs typically report to the Board of Directors, although this will vary according to the company. It's possible that the CEO either owns the business or has founded it.

Keep in mind that as the organisation changes, so does the duties and responsibilities of the CEO differ. Fundamentally, the duties of the CEO will be that of a high-level manager.

• Creating and ensuring that the company's vision and mission statement is always carried through and always leading the development and implementation of the company’s strategy.
• The CEO is also responsible for providing guidance, evaluating their team’s work and directing the organisation's structure for reporting.
• Seek guidance from the Board of Directors.
• Developing and applying business plans for the company.
• Reporting and evaluating the success of a company.
• CEOs must have a great understanding of their competitors, which opportunities exist for the company, who their customers are, what the markets are saying and keep a constant eye on any new industry developments etc.
• A CEO must in essence be a leader who can take the company from strength to strength by increasing the customer base and exceeding targets set by the organisation.

Salary details:

• Starting salary R870K for 0 – 5 years of experience
• The average CEO will earn a salary from R401k – R2mil, depending on the size of the organisation.
• CEOs based in Sandton will earn an average of 35% more than the national average of R1.2 million
• CEOs based in Durban will typically earn 18% less than the national average.

Job salaries closely linked to that of a CEO:

• COO earns an average salary of R984k
• A CFO earns an average salary of R998k 
• Financial Director earns an average of R1.1 million