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So far as the boards of public companies are concerned, the role of the Chairman of the board as distinct from that of the company's Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director has in recent times been brought into focus, as the result of alleged corporate governance shortcomings observed in companies in which the two roles are combined. A pivotal document setting out recommendations is the Cadbury Report, the recommendations of which have been adopted to greater or lesser extent by the European Union, USA, the World Bank and others.
In the early Middle Ages furniture of any sort was scarce. Only the King had a bed or a chair; hence chairman is the person who presides at meetings. Kings often held court in the bedroom.
In China the title of "Chairman" is often used interchangeably with that of presidentPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership (from Latin prae "before" + sedere "to sit"). Originally, the term usually referr (ex: Chairman Mao).