A chief strategy officer (CSO) is an executive, that usually reports to the CEO, and has primary responsibility for strategy formulation and management, including developing the corporate vision and strategy, managing strategic planning, and leading strategic initiatives, including M&A, transformation, partnerships, and cost reduction. Some companies give the title of Chief Strategist or Chief Business Officer to its senior executives who are holding the top strategy role.

The need for a CSO position may be attributed to CEOs having less time to devote to strategy, and/or to CEO's in startups with less experience in executive strategy execution along with uncertain environments that increase the need for professional strategy development. As a result the position can be seen in fast moving Tech companies, Entrepreneurial Tech Startups, academic, nonprofit and corporate organizations. In recent years, the CSO position increased in popularity in highly professional companies with significant growth and scaleability ambitions, which is reflected by the high number of US tech companies (nearly 50% of S&P 500 firms) who created CSO positions in their top management teams.