# The new face of the COO Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-07-30 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: The Changing Role of a Chief Operating Officer in 2022 Meta Description: Discover how the role of a COO has transformed in recent years and the impact they have on growth, innovation, and strategic planning in organisations. URL: https://financedigest.com/the-new-face-of-the-coohtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/dsc0347-2449-sbi-300723038-1736838095000-compressed.jpg) _By_ _Tarek Meliti_ _, founder of_ [_TDM Group_](https://www.tdmgroup.net/) The role of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) has gone through an extensive transformation over the last couple of years, with major responsibilities changing as organisations begin to act out of pure necessity. There is a universal appreciation within the business world regarding the impact an effective and highly skilled COO can have within an organisation in relation to growth and operational performance. Staying competitive in any [industry post-pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/virtual-cards-will-help-lead-the-travel-industry-into-a-post-pandemic-boom.html "Virtual cards will help lead the travel industry into a post-pandemic boom") is proving extremely challenging. There also appears to be a re-occurring trend as organisations have identified the [need for change in their business](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-premises-liability-coverage-and-why-does-your-business-need-it.html "What is Premises Liability Coverage … and Why Does Your Business Need It?") models, placing more emphasis on the vision of the COO and their ability to acclimatise to change which can mean the difference between surviving or thriving as they move forward. That same belief is pressuring corporations to focus more attention and interest on the [value of pairing CEOs with problem-solving COOs who can boost](https://www.financedigest.com/how-a-garden-can-boost-your-property-value.html "How a garden can boost your property value") a culture of innovation, agility, and adaptation. We must now examine how this ever-evolving [role has changed](https://www.financedigest.com/the-changing-role-of-todays-cfo.html "The changing role of today’s CFO"). **Leading [Digital Transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/future-of-finance-2023-digital-transformation.html "Future of Finance 2023: Digital Transformation")** The new [face of the COO is to instigate transformational change](https://www.financedigest.com/the-changing-face-of-peer-to-peer.html "THE CHANGING FACE OF PEER-TO-PEER") by translating business and customer strategies into innovative offerings to drive customer service satisfaction and enhance value.  Organisations that have a primary focus on [change and innovation are predominantly market leaders](https://www.financedigest.com/how-finance-leaders-can-equip-their-team-to-tackle-change.html "How Finance Leaders Can Equip Their Team to Tackle Change"), while those that react to competitors will find themselves at risk. This is a prime example of a key change in the role in recent years – and a [technologically focused](https://www.financedigest.com/maximising-the-opportunities-available-from-marketing-technology-and-innovation-focused-thinking.html "Maximising the opportunities available from marketing technology and innovation focused thinking") and skilled COO can make all the difference. The role has evolved, with the modern COO needing to be familiar with new perspectives of technologies that will change the [way their respective business](https://www.financedigest.com/5-simple-ways-in-which-your-business-can-save-water.html "5 simple ways in which your business can save water") operates. With growing frequency, the COO spearheads the strategic business planning and transformation function, which converts corporate-level [plans into a set of discrete change](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-olympics-paris-2024-plans-games-relay-changes-fewer-torches-source.html "EXCLUSIVE-Olympics-Paris 2024 plans Games relay changes, fewer torches-source") initiatives. As a transformation champion, the COO is held accountable for driving [investments that transform the business](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-uk-crisis-forces-off-kilter-businesses-to-halt-investment.html "Analysis-UK crisis forces ‘off kilter’ businesses to halt investment"). **The [Changing Face](https://www.financedigest.com/talk-to-me-the-changing-face-of-customer-communications.html "TALK TO ME :THE CHANGING FACE OF CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS") of Reporting** The modern COO has a high level of visibility and accountability within the organisation, including its [reporting structures](https://www.financedigest.com/food-thermos-market-2021-industry-size-growth-trends-segments-and-cost-structure-analysis-research-report-2029.html "Food Thermos Market 2021 Industry Size, Growth, Trends, Segments, And Cost Structure Analysis Research Report 2029"). Gone are the days when the COO has excellent [business and relationship acumen but lacks technology](https://www.financedigest.com/why-businesses-must-invest-in-cloud-technology-now.html "Why Businesses Must Invest in Cloud Technology Now") expertise. In today’s world, the COO must use their [leadership skills to ensure their business](https://www.financedigest.com/5-essential-leadership-skills-for-family-owned-businesses.html "5 essential leadership skills for family-owned businesses") utilises the best technology while maintaining the right level of risk to make the organisation safe. **[Continuing the Plan](https://www.financedigest.com/crafting-a-business-continuity-cybersecurity-plan.html "Crafting a Business Continuity Cybersecurity Plan")** Along with their core duties, the modern COO is [required to understand the outcomes of the technology chosen on the entire organisation](https://www.financedigest.com/lack-of-collaboration-and-skills-shortage-is-limiting-organisations-ability-to-meet-ifrs-9-requirements.html "Lack of collaboration and skills shortage is limiting organisations’ ability to meet IFRS 9 requirements"). They should capitalise on the opportunity to [shift from their core responsibilities and develop a clear companywide vision by partnering with business leaders to shape strategy](https://www.financedigest.com/cellnexs-ceo-tobias-martinez-steps-down-amid-strategy-shift.html "Cellnex’s CEO Tobias Martinez steps down amid strategy shift") and define the business model in order to maximise results. **The Fundamental and Most Important Factor** For many organisations, the [impact of the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/wework-rival-iwg-quarterly-revenue-dips-on-prolonged-pandemic-impact.html "WeWork rival IWG quarterly revenue dips on prolonged pandemic impact") is yet to fully play out. This will require the effective COO to seek to deepen their organisation’s capabilities across a variety of areas, striking the right balance [between legacy business and innovative](https://www.financedigest.com/how-digital-innovation-in-challenger-banks-encourages-legacy-banks-to-perform-better.html "How digital innovation in challenger banks encourages legacy banks to perform better") capability areas. Visionary COOs have much to [bring to their organisations in the years](https://www.financedigest.com/ecb-engaged-in-bringing-down-inflation-to-2-in-two-to-three-years-from-now-villeroy.html "ECB engaged in bringing down inflation to 2% in two to three years from now – Villeroy") and decades to come, not only in terms of their awareness of the operations of a company but in how those operations affect and are viewed by potential clients and partners. A forward-thinking COO can create policies and drive [decisions that enable their facilities to forge ahead](https://www.financedigest.com/cyclicals-bat-drag-ftse-100-lower-ahead-of-fed-decision.html "Cyclicals, BAT drag FTSE 100 lower ahead of Fed decision") in uncharted space by focusing on strategy and technical innovation. ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/picture50-450x469-1736838094976-compressed.jpg) Tarek Meliti, [founder of TDM Group](https://www.financedigest.com/attorney-and-founder-of-chukwuma-law-group-jeff-c-chukwuma-on-intuition-as-a-tool-for-successful-outcomes.html "Attorney and Founder of Chukwuma Law Group, Jeff C. Chukwuma on Intuition as a Tool for Successful Outcomes") --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---