Changes in technology, workplace models, and social and environmental expectations are creating corporate leadership roles for professionals who might have viewed the C-suite as off limits a decade ago.¹  

Companies have been adding top executives with specialized backgrounds and skills in areas like human resources and information technology, thanks to shifting business and workplace priorities since the Covid-19 pandemic.²

That’s probably good news for many mid-career professionals. A recent survey by Empower found that 39% of Millennials hope to reach the C-suite, the highest level of any age group.

It’s common to see chief sustainability officers, chief artificial intelligence officers, and chief purpose officers alongside chief executive officers and chief financial officers in many C-suites these days.³ But it’s unclear whether some of the newer roles will stick around as corporate priorities continue to shift.⁴

Happy at work 

Some titles, such as chief happiness officer, have catchy names. Variations of chief happiness officer have emerged at places like Alphabet, Coca-Cola, EY, and SAP — highlighting very real concerns that companies have about employee well-being and morale.⁵

The number of chief human resources officers, chief people officers, and chief wellness officers has increased steadily in recent years.⁶ 

Empower research shows that money is a top driver of job satisfaction for many employees, followed by being rewarded for loyalty and longevity, and taking on challenging projects. At the same time, nearly 1 in 4 people said they’re not working at full capacity.

Deloitte, Cisco, and others have created chief purpose officers to better define corporate missions and to help employees understand their own purpose within organizations.⁷ The role has taken on greater significance as more workers trade office time for remote or hybrid arrangements.⁸

The chief purpose officer makes sure that a company’s operations align with its stated purpose and values.⁹ In addition to fostering better connections with employees, the chief purpose officer is often tasked with setting goals for other leaders and holding them accountable.¹⁰

AI rush 

The swift adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has led many companies to appoint chief AI officers.¹¹ The number of companies with a chief AI officer has almost tripled globally in the past 5 years, according to one study.¹²

The role goes beyond having tech skills or being an advocate for AI. Chief AI officers are responsible for establishing and implementing AI strategies while also assessing potential risks, limitations, and ethical issues.¹³  

AI leaders work with other executives to target business opportunities or set return on investment (ROI) objectives, among other things.¹⁴ They also deploy AI to improve internal operations in areas like data analytics, customer service, financial forecasting, and fraud detection.¹⁵

There’s strong demand for AI officers in both the private and public sectors. Federal agencies are now required to have their own chief AI officers, thanks to a 2023 executive order.¹⁶

Read more: How artificial intelligence is making its way to the top of the corporate ladder

It’s anyone guess what the role will look like in ten years. A recent report outlined potential conflicts between chief AI officers with other C-suite executives, such as chief technology officers, chief data officers, or chief information officers.¹⁷

Many companies prefer to task chief information officers with AI duties or have the chief AI officer report to other technology executives rather than the CEO.¹⁸¹⁹

Sustainability and diversity 

Chief sustainability officers and chief diversity officers have faced similar growing pains in recent years.²⁰ Both roles have become common in the C-suite as companies face greater expectations from regulators, investors, and the public to address topics like climate change, human rights, and diversity.²¹ 

Some companies combine corporate social responsibility and sustainability into one role for the chief impact officer, while others keep the roles separate.²² Despite increased numbers, the positions have struggled to find their footing at some companies.²³

A recent survey found that only one-third of chief sustainability officers report directly to the CEO. About 30% of surveyed officers said that their environmental initiatives were fully implemented throughout their organizations.²⁴

Chief diversity officers have also faced challenges. Increased political debate over diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has led some companies to scale back their commitments. Other companies have seen their top diversity officers resign.²⁵ 

But there are other indications that the role will have staying power. More than half (53%) of U.S. workers say a company’s DEI initiatives play a key role in which companies they want to work for, according to one study.²⁶

Just having fun? 

Some companies appear to be taking a lighter approach with C-suite titles, perhaps to humanize executive roles and better connect with employees.²⁷

VaynerMedia has a chief heart officer responsible for human resources functions.²⁸ Rocket Mortgage once had a chief amazement officer for similar duties and called its human resources department “the Pulse” rather than HR.²⁹   

Other C-suite roles might be inside jokes or jabs at lofty titles. Jack Dorsey gave up the CEO title at his financial services company Block — to become the Chief Block Head. The company even updated its bylaws to reflect Dorsey’s new role.³⁰

Elon Musk dubbed himself the “Technoking of Tesla” a few years ago.³¹ Musk once referred to his other executive role, CEO, as a “made-up title.”³²

Tesla’s former chief financial officer also served as “master of coin” — a nod to popular TV series “Game of Thrones.”³³ Some thought that the role alluded to Tesla’s cryptocurrency ambitions, but the company never told. The role only lasted a few years.³⁴