Hypergrowth: how does the chief of staff shape the success of scale-ups?

In the world of hypergrowth scale-ups, the chief of staff (COS) is emerging as a key player. As the CEO's right-hand person, he or she structures governance, prioritizes projects, and ensures consistency between strategic vision and operational execution. But why is this role becoming essential during this pivotal phase? Anne-Sophie Pradier, chief of staff at iBanFirst, a fintech company with 350 employees in 10 countries, and Marie Lenail-Chouteau, chief people officer at Electra, the European leader in fast charging for electric vehicles with a presence in nine countries.

Historically established in large Anglo-Saxon groups, the COS function is now making inroads into the French market. According to a study by the Institut Choiseul and Roland Berger, the number of COSs in France more than doubled between 2023 and 2024, rising from 800 to around 1,700. In the French entrepreneurial ecosystem, this position is a real cornerstone during critical phases of rapid growth.

Whether it's structuring the organization, developing the internal culture, or orchestrating strategic projects, the COS responds to the complex challenges that scale-ups face as they move to a new level. But what are its specific tasks? What skills make it so indispensable in a phase of hypergrowth? And what kind of partnership between the CEO and the HR Director would make it a success?

Hypergrowth: 3 major challenges facing the chief of staff 

In a hypergrowth company, the transition from an agile startup to a structured scale-up represents a major challenge that unfolds across three areas: 

• Structure without losing agility

"One of the biggest challenges has been ensuring the company's structure without imposing too many restrictions, as we are still a scale-up. We need to continue growing rapidly," explains Anne-Sophie Pradier. This role involves formalizing internal processes while allowing sufficient flexibility to meet the specific needs of the teams. "For example, I helped to coordinate and harmonize the different levels of governance that are essential in an international company."

• Maintaining a strong culture in a changing environment

"The cultural challenge was significant during a period of transition. The company had been in existence for five years, and we had both long-standing employees, who were very attached to the original entrepreneurial spirit, and newcomers from large corporations, with very different mindsets," notes Anne-Sophie Pradier. This renewal of the teams required a balancing act to preserve core values while integrating these new talents.

At Electra, Marie Lenail-Chouteau also highlights this challenge: " In a multicultural environment, the COS must act as a link between teams, creating spaces for dialogue so that everyone can find their place within a shared culture."

• Managing strategic priorities

In a context of multiple opportunities, prioritization becomes essential. " One of my main missions is to translate the CEO's vision into concrete actions. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are an excellent lever for this, because they allow the strategy to be broken down into measurable objectives that are understandable to all employees," explains Anne-Sophie Pradier. This tool enables the COS to ensure consistent execution of priorities while aligning the efforts of all teams.

COS: Four key skills for weathering organizational turbulence 

• Leadership without hierarchy

For Marie Lenail-Chouteau, COS leadership is based on attitude and humility: "COS must demonstrate humility and listen in order to integrate as well as possible with the teams. This allows us to gain the trust of the teams and get everyone on board, even without a direct hierarchy." Anne-Sophie Pradier adds to this balanced role: "The COS must be seen as the CEO's right-hand man, but without imposing his authority. It's about embodying the leader's vision while remaining close to the teams." 

• Patience and building trust

"In a hypergrowth environment, the COS must be agile on an interpersonal level, developing relationships with members of the COMEX as well as with employees in the field. It is important for them to understand the dynamics in order to best support the CEO and strategic projects," explains Marie Lenail-Chouteau. For Anne-Sophie Pradier, patience and diplomacy are essential qualities: " You are constantly between stakeholders with different expectations, and it is your role to build bridges and maintain balance."

• Organization and management of priorities

Hypergrowth generates a multitude of simultaneous projects. "The COS must be able to prioritize without becoming overwhelmed, " emphasizes Anne-Sophie Pradier. Like iBanFirst, OKRs are also used within Electra to give a collective and consistent direction to strategic choices: "OKRs are essential for aligning everyone around common goals. The COS ensures that these tools become a true compass for the organization at all levels."

• Versatility and interaction with diverse profiles

"A COS must be able to switch from a strategic discussion with a board member in the morning to an operational exchange with the teams in the afternoon," explains Marie Lenail-Chouteau. "It's the diversity of topics and profiles that makes this role so exciting, but also so demanding!" Anne-Sophie Pradier adds: "The COS is really the Swiss Army knife of the organization. He or she must be able to adapt to each interlocutor, whether it's an investor, an employee, or a member of the executive committee."

Achieving hypergrowth with a COS: 2 key factors for success 

• HR-COS tandem: a key driver of transformation 

At Electra, the partnership between the HR Director and the COS is a fundamental pillar for successfully navigating the transformation brought about by hypergrowth. " If the HR Director does not work hand in hand with the COS, it complicates many things, because structural changes require close coordination between these two roles," explains Marie Lenail-Chouteau. The HR Director must also ensure the successful integration of the COS: " During onboarding, we emphasized building strong relationships with each member of the executive committee and gaining a detailed understanding of the dynamics between teams."

This collaboration enables the COS to fully perform its role as organizational architect, while ensuring close ties with both internal and external stakeholders. " The COS must have a clear vision of the relationships between departments and the scope of each one in order to orchestrate cross-functional projects and maintain effective governance," adds Anne-Sophie Pradier.

• Good timing above all else  

For Marie Lenail-Chouteau, the right time to hire a COS is around the first stages of growth: " After two years and 150 employees, this is often when organizational complexity requires a COS. Fundraising also accelerates this decision, as it requires an additional level of structuring and rigorous management of investor relations." 

During periods of hypergrowth, by combining leadership, organization, versatility, and interpersonal skills, the chief of staff structures the company while preserving its agility, culture, and capacity for innovation. As Marie Lenail-Chouteau sums it up: "The COS is both a catalyst for transformation and a guardian of fundamentals. " Ultimately, the position is a strategic lever for successfully navigating the challenge of hypergrowth.