Chief visionary officer

A chief visionary officer (CVO) is a function within a company normally established beside the other executive functions like CEO or COO. The title is sometimes used to define a high ranking position alongside the CEO, and sometimes used to formalize a high-level advisory position. In some cases, the CVO is added to the CEO title (for CEO/CVO status). The CVO is expected to have a broad and comprehensive knowledge of all matters related to the business of the organization, as well as the vision required to steer its course into the future. The person in charge must have the core-competencies of every business-executive, but in addition the visionary ideas must move the company forward. These are used as the basis for defining corporate strategies and working plans.

The first CVO, and inventor of the title, was Tim Roberts of Broadband Investment Group. Roberts said he invented the title as a rank that served to recognize the visionary attributes needed to integrate a complex business with many diverse aspects.

Other names are Tom Groth from Sun Microsystems, Judy Estrin from Cisco and Manuel Perviz from Vizios. Garth Stewart from Tiscali/Connex Networks In some cases, CVO is used informally in addition to a more conventional title of chief technology officer.^[1]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Cisco's Estrin: Chief visionary officer, Network World, June 18, 1998 accessed at [1]