4 Ways the COO and C-Suite Relationship Has Evolved: New Collaboration Approaches
The relationship between the COO and other C-suite leaders has shifted dramatically as business complexity increases and traditional silos break down. This article examines four specific partnerships—with finance, marketing, technology, and strategy teams—that now define operational success. Drawing on insights from seasoned executives, it reveals how modern COOs collaborate across functions to drive measurable growth and organizational alignment.
Finance Partnership Emphasizes Capability and ROI
The COO role has shifted from being execution-focused to becoming a connective role across strategy, technology, finance, and people leadership, and that shift has materially changed how relationships with other C-suite leaders function. Interactions are less about functional handoffs and more about shared ownership of outcomes. A clear example is collaboration with the CFO. Historically, that relationship centered on budgets and cost controls; today it revolves around capability building, productivity, and long-term ROI on skills and systems. According to McKinsey, organizations that tightly align operations, finance, and talent strategy are 2.4 times more likely to outperform peers on profitability. That reality has pushed COOs and CFOs into more frequent, forward-looking conversations around workforce readiness, automation, and risk resilience. The most effective collaborations now are anchored in data, scenario planning, and talent impact, rather than quarterly reporting cycles, reflecting how operational leadership has become inseparable from growth and adaptability.
Marketing Alliance Aligns Promise and Delivery
I've seen the COO role shift from being primarily operational and execution-led to becoming far more strategic and cross-functional, which has naturally changed how C-suite relationships work.
Earlier, the COO often acted as the stabiliser, focused on delivery, efficiency, and keeping the machine running. Collaboration with other executives was more handoff-based: strategy came from the top, execution flowed downward. Today, that dynamic is much more integrated. The COO is now deeply involved in shaping strategy, culture, and growth decisions alongside the CEO, CFO, and CMO, not just implementing them.
One collaboration that works very differently now is between the COO and CMO. Previously, marketing would generate demand and operations would figure out how to fulfil it. Now, those conversations happen upfront. The COO is involved early in campaign planning to assess capacity, delivery readiness, and customer experience impact, while marketing gains clearer insight into operational constraints and opportunities. The result is more sustainable growth, fewer internal bottlenecks, and a stronger alignment between what's promised externally and what's delivered internally.
The evolution has taught me that modern C-suite effectiveness comes less from rigid role boundaries and more from shared ownership of outcomes.
Tech Fusion Recasts Workflow Design Around AI
The COO's function is transforming from being the "executor of the past" to that of the "architect of the future." The COO/C-Suite relationship used to be mostly transactional - The "how" of how an operation is done belonged to operations; everyone else decided the "what." Today, operations and digital strategy have become inseparable, with operational efficiency now directly linked to digital transformation.
The COO-CTO partnership has evolved the most. It used to be a linear flow of hand-offs: Operations would identify a process bottleneck and then technology would create a tool to remedy that. We are now operating in a continuous, fused-feedback loop between operations and technology. For example, in AI workflows, we no longer just automate a prior process with a computer; instead, we co-create the entire workflow around what is possible because of the technology. Digitalizing a broken process is a common mistake, and this ensures both scalability and operational reality begin aligned.
This trend is evident across many industries, and a McKinsey report states that many COOs are actually playing a vital role in driving their respective companies' digital transformation efforts. COO roles have now transitioned into being at the center of how companies strategically grow and manage costs.
Navigating through these C-suite changes is as much about creating a culture based on mutual trust and vulnerability among peers than it is about developing a specific set of technical specs. To remain agile to meet market demands, this must occur at all levels.
Strategy Bridge Co-Owns Cross-Functional Growth
The COO role has evolved significantly in recent years, especially in mid-sized and growing organizations. Traditionally, the C-suite was fairly straightforward: CEO setting vision, CFO on finances, COO handling day-to-day execution, and maybe a CMO or CTO depending on the industry. Collaboration was more siloed—ops focused inward on efficiency, while other executives owned their domains.
Today, the role has expanded and blurred lines. New titles like Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Growth Officer, Chief Revenue Officer, and hybrid positions (COO/CHRO or COO/CTO) have emerged, turning the COO into more of a connector across strategy, growth, people, and technology. As someone who transitioned from senior executive leadership into the COO seat, I've felt my own collaboration evolve from mostly execution-focused to more strategic and integrative.
One specific change stands out: previously, ops leaders would hand off strategic initiatives to a CSO or CGO for planning, then take them back for implementation. Now, we're involved from the start—co-owning growth strategies, aligning ops capabilities with revenue goals, and even weighing in on talent and culture decisions that affect execution.
The result is a more fluid, cross-functional C-suite where the COO acts as a bridge rather than just the "operator." It's demanding but makes the role more impactful when done right.
