Economist and a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Sanjeev Sanyal, has raised a red flag over the growing trend of companies appointing “Chief of Staff” roles—arguing that the position may be doing more harm than good in organisational structures.

In a post on X, Sanyal said the role was traditionally handled by a young executive assistant, which offered emerging talent direct senior-level exposure without making them a power centre. Advertisement

Replacing this with senior-level Chiefs of Staff, he warned, could lead to opacity and hamper open communication inside companies. According to Sanyal, the title not only “sounds pretentious” but also risks turning the position into a gatekeeping layer between the CEO and the rest of the organisation.

"Not sure that thi

See Full Page