How do I find CEOs on LinkedIn?

Run a People search with the Title Boolean CEO OR "chief executive officer" OR "chief executive", then filter by industry, location, and company headcount. On Sales Navigator, add the Seniority = CXO and company-size filters to isolate the right CEOs.

Can I message a CEO directly on LinkedIn?

Yes, if it's a smaller company — CEOs of firms under ~50 people often read their own messages. At larger companies the CEO rarely will, so target the relevant VP or department head instead.

What's the best way to get a CEO to reply on LinkedIn?

Keep it to three sentences, lead with a result or insight rather than your product, use a warm connection where possible, reference something specific and recent, and don't include a calendar link in the first message.

How do I find CEOs of small companies specifically?

Use the company headcount filter (available in Sales Navigator) set to 1–50 employees alongside your CEO title search. Small-company CEOs are the ones most likely to read and reply to a cold message.

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How to Find CEOs on LinkedIn

August 28, 2026

How to find CEOs on LinkedIn — the exact titles and Boolean search, the filters that isolate the right companies, and how to actually reach a CEO who gets pitched daily.

To find CEOs on LinkedIn, run a People search with the title Boolean CEO OR "chief executive officer" OR "chief executive", then narrow by industry, location, and — crucially — company headcount, because the CEO of a 20-person company answers their own messages while the CEO of a 20,000-person company never will. That one filter decides whether finding them is even worth it. Below is the exact search, the filters that matter, and how to reach a CEO who gets pitched a dozen times a day. (For the general method, see how to find someone on LinkedIn and the complete search guide.)

The search

1.Open LinkedIn search, type your Boolean into the Title field under All filters:
2. CEO OR "chief executive officer" OR "chief executive"
3.Add Current company (if targeting specific firms), Industry, and Location.
4.On Sales Navigator, add Company headcount and Seniority = CXO — the two filters that make CEO search actually useful.

The headcount rule

CEO outreach lives and dies on company size:

1–50 employees: the CEO is often the buyer and reads their own inbox. Go direct.
50–200: reachable, but busy — a warm angle helps.
200+: the CEO won't see your message. Target the relevant VP or department head instead (see employee search).

Trying to sell to a Fortune 500 CEO via a cold LinkedIn DM is a waste of a good message. Match your target size to reality.

How to actually reach a CEO

CEOs are pitched constantly, so the bar is high:

Be brief and specific. A CEO scans; three sentences max.
Lead with a result or insight, not your product.
Use a warm path where possible — a shared connection or investor tie (see find investors on LinkedIn).
Reference something real — a recent post, funding, or company milestone.
No calendar link in message one. Earn the reply first.

See the connection request templates and cold message templates for wording.

Find and reach the right CEOs, at scale

Finding one CEO is easy; building a targeted list across dozens of right-sized companies and reaching each personally is the slow part. Conextly does that for LinkedIn: it finds CEOs who match your size and industry criteria, tracks every conversation, and drafts a personalized message and follow-ups for each — you approve every send. Targeted CEO outreach that stays personal, without the copy-paste. See how the prospecting search works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find CEOs on LinkedIn?: Run a People search with the Title Boolean CEO OR "chief executive officer" OR "chief executive", then filter by industry, location, and company headcount. On Sales Navigator, add the Seniority = CXO and company-size filters to isolate the right CEOs.
Can I message a CEO directly on LinkedIn?: Yes, if it's a smaller company — CEOs of firms under ~50 people often read their own messages. At larger companies the CEO rarely will, so target the relevant VP or department head instead.
What's the best way to get a CEO to reply on LinkedIn?: Keep it to three sentences, lead with a result or insight rather than your product, use a warm connection where possible, reference something specific and recent, and don't include a calendar link in the first message.
How do I find CEOs of small companies specifically?: Use the company headcount filter (available in Sales Navigator) set to 1–50 employees alongside your CEO title search. Small-company CEOs are the ones most likely to read and reply to a cold message.

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