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Covista CEO changes chiefs of staff every few years, says the role prepares them for bigger jobs
Covista CEO Steve Beard treats the chief of staff role as a temporary leadership opportunity rather than a permanent appointment.
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Most CEOs rely on a trusted chief of staff to help manage their workload and coordinate priorities. But Covista CEO Steve Beard takes a different approach, treating the position as a temporary leadership role rather than a permanent appointment. In five years at the healthcare education company, he has hired four chiefs of staff, each bringing different expertise to meet his changing needs.
Why Covista's CEO keeps changing chiefs of staff
Since taking charge of Covista five years ago, Beard has appointed four chiefs of staff, allowing some overlap between appointments to maintain continuity. His first hire specialised in finance, the second in strategy, the third in technology, and the fourth, who joined recently, in management consulting.
“Each of my chiefs of staff has looked different because I've been in a different place in my own journey at the time that they've come on board,” Beard told Business Insider. “It really is defined by the leader and the moment.”
The approach also reflects the demands of the position. According to a 2024 McKinsey report, the median tenure of a chief of staff is 2.3 years, with the role often serving as a stepping stone to more senior leadership positions.
Beard considers around three years a reasonable period for the job. His first chief of staff moved into a chief financial officer role at one of Covista's universities, while his second became a vice president overseeing business-to-business operations and clinical partnerships. His third is preparing to become a vice president of enterprise pricing.
“It takes about one year to really get in a groove,” Beard told Business Insider. “By the time you're approaching three years, that's a pretty gruelling pace.”
What the chief of staff role involves
Beard oversees five educational institutions that prepare students for healthcare careers. His working days typically begin around 7 am and end after 6 pm, with his chief of staff closely involved in managing priorities and coordinating work.
The role also involves offering honest feedback. Beard recalled that his first chief of staff pointed out that he spoke too much during leadership meetings. After taking the advice, he began listening more and allowing colleagues to contribute before sharing his own views.
“I found that I actually learned more by listening to the conversation amongst the team,” he said.
How Beard chooses his next chief of staff
Beard looks for candidates who can influence others without relying on authority, build relationships and move between long-term strategy and practical execution. He recruits through professional networks, search firms and Covista's existing workforce, with two of his four appointments coming from within the company.
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Each new hire is also encouraged to reassess his working routine. Previous chiefs of staff have reorganised executive meetings and introduced artificial intelligence into office workflows, while the newest hire is reviewing Beard's first five years to help shape the company's next phase.
The approach has trade-offs. Replacing an experienced chief of staff means losing established working relationships and giving a new hire time to adjust.
“You do have to slow down to speed up a bit,” Beard said.
