Executive Assistant vs Chief of Staff at HoldCo vs Corporate Chief of Staff

Primary Role:

Executive Assistant: Administrative and organizational support for executives

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Strategic and operational advisor, focusing on portfolio management

Corporate Chief of Staff: Strategic partner within a corporate environment, focusing on alignment and execution of goals

Reporting Relationship:

Executive Assistant: Reports directly to the executive they support

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Reports to HoldCo executive, possibly CEO or board

Corporate Chief of Staff: Reports to a senior corporate executive, often the CEO

Scope of Responsibilities:

Executive Assistant: Focused on day-to-day tasks and administrative duties

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Overseeing operations and strategy across the portfolio of companies

Corporate Chief of Staff: Similar to Startup Chief of Staff, but tailored to the corporate context

Decision-Making Authority:

Executive Assistant: Limited to administrative decisions

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Considerable, influencing decisions across the portfolio

Corporate Chief of Staff: Significant in corporate strategy and internal alignment

Strategic Planning:

Executive Assistant: Limited involvement, support capacity

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Involved in strategic planning for the holding company and its entities

Corporate Chief of Staff: Involved in developing and implementing corporate strategy

Team Management:

Executive Assistant: Manages administrative staff

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Coordinates across various management teams within the portfolio

Corporate Chief of Staff: Manages or coordinates with corporate teams and departments

Meeting Involvement:

Executive Assistant: Scheduling, preparing materials, taking minutes

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Involved in high-level meetings, providing insights and alignment

Corporate Chief of Staff: Active in corporate meetings, often representing or preparing the executive

Project Management:

Executive Assistant: Manages small projects within their role

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Oversees projects that affect multiple companies within the portfolio

Corporate Chief of Staff: Leads corporate projects, especially strategic initiatives

Communication:

Executive Assistant: Facilitates internal communication

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Facilitates communication across the portfolio and with external stakeholders

Corporate Chief of Staff: Facilitates corporate communication, both internally and externally

Professional Development:

Executive Assistant: Focused on improving administrative and organizational skills

Chief of Staff at HoldCo: Develops expertise in portfolio management and strategic oversight

Corporate Chief of Staff: Enhances corporate management and strategic skills