Can a CEO be the management representative

[Anton_S]

Hi!
Dear colleagues, I really need your advice.
There is a small engineering holding, just three companies in different countries. Two of them have less than 5 persons of staff, including the Head Quarter. I'm the management representative for all the sites.
Now we're going to be certified AS9100 D as a multiple sites organization.
Shall each of the companies formally have its own management representative?
If not, can the management representative participate the external certification audit remotely?
If not, can the head of a company be formally assigned as a management representative?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Big Jim]

The head of the company can most certainly be the management representative. Also, he can appoint as many helpers as he needs to ensure the system is functioning properly.

 

[Matt's Quality Handle]

Sure! I'd bet a lot of Covers would welcome Quality representation at the highest level of the company.

 

[Randy]

Shucks, the CEO can be the janitor if he/she wishes (but only if competent to do so). It doesn't matter who the MR is, other than hopefully it makes sense.

 

[Tidge]

I've been letting the OP (title) question stew for a while; the above reply from @Randy helps clarify my thoughts. The CEO certainly could serve in the role of management representative (for any quality system that formally requires such a role), but for the small number of different types of Quality Systems I'm aware of, I wouldn't want the CEO in that role... because ultimately the CEO and MR roles ought to have both different skill sets and different problems to address. I'm not trying to argue that the MR is going to have priorities that are in conflict with the CEO, just that the MR needs to be focused on that job as opposed to worrying about what the CEO might be thinking... because the CEO has a different perspective and needs those that report to her to do assigned jobs.

A CEO who is interested in how well the quality system is operating is great! Yet... I'm sure we've all had experiences in which a supervisor spent too much time and attention in one area to the detriment of other areas.

 

[Randy]

I've been letting the OP (title) question stew for a while; the above reply from @Randy helps clarify my thoughts. The CEO certainly could serve in the role of management representative (for any quality system that formally requires such a role), but for the small number of different types of Quality Systems I'm aware of, I wouldn't want the CEO in that role... because ultimately the CEO and MR roles ought to have both different skill sets and different problems to address. I'm not trying to argue that the MR is going to have priorities that are in conflict with the CEO, just that the MR needs to be focused on that job as opposed to worrying about what the CEO might be thinking... because the CEO has a different perspective and needs those that report to her to do assigned jobs.

A CEO who is interested in how well the quality system is operating is great! Yet... I'm sure we've all had experiences in which a supervisor spent too much time and attention in one area to the detriment of other areas.

Excellent response.

 

[DannyK]

As a small company, I would welcome the CEO as the management representative.
This highlights the importance of the quality system to the organization.