Is the executive director the top leader?

Whether this position is the "number one" depends on the company's specific organizational structure and institutional arrangements.

In some companies, the executive director may be equivalent to the role of CEO, responsible for the daily management and decision-making of the company. In this case, the executive director can be regarded as the "top leader" of the company.

However, in different companies or organizations, the definition and responsibilities of "number one" may be different. In addition, the legal representative of the company is usually the chairman, and the board members have equal rights. Although the chairman plays the role of convener in the board of directors, some companies give the chairman more voting rights, but it does not mean that the chairman is the "number one" of the company.