The prime minister's chief of staff: Comparing profiles and trends in Westminster democracies, 1990–2021

Abstract

Chiefs of Staff to heads of government hold a prominent position at the apex of the political executive. However, our knowledge of the personal and professional backgrounds of these unelected actors is surprisingly patchy. Not only is this an empirical gap, but it is also problematic as interactions between actors within political executives shape political decisions and ministerial operations. For this study, we present the most systematic dataset mapping the profiles of 56 chiefs of staff to prime ministers in four Westminster family countries from 1990 to 2021: Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. Their profiles are examined in relation to four concepts: (1) descriptive representation; (2) career de‐separation; (3) institutional (in)stability; and (4) the revolving door. The demographic results illustrate how prime ministers' offices attract individuals with certain characteristics more than others. In order to bolster these results, more research on the chief of staff role is needed to demonstrate how prime ministers exert power and use these staff to strengthen their capacity to govern.

Chief of Staff in Performing Arts. Addressing the Absence

“…Presidents' Chiefs of Staff are primarily tasked with three core functions: administration, advisement, and guardianship of the executive office (Cohen 2002;Walcott, Warshaw, and Wayne 2001). They act as central authority figures, managers, directors, advisers, and spokespeople, often serving as the president's right hand (Walcott, Warshaw, and Wayne 2001;Pickering, Bellens, and Brans 2023). This varied role is essential for ensuring the effective functioning of the executive office.…”

“…Comparative studies reveal that, despite differing political systems, the CoS roles in different countries share striking similarities in function and importance (Tiernan and Pfiffner 2014;Pickering, Bellens, and Brans 2023). They are crucial in managing large staffs and addressing the growing complexities of strategic decision-making, public policy and media scrutiny.…”