How to Address a CEO in an Email (Templates and Examples)

You found the CEO’s email address — now how do you actually address them? Getting the salutation and tone right matters more than most people think. Too formal and you sound like a form letter; too casual and you seem presumptuous. This guide covers exactly how to address a CEO in an email, with templates and examples you can copy.

The short answer

In most cases, open with “Hi [First Name],” or “Hello [First Name],”. Modern executives — especially founders and CEOs of small and midsize businesses — expect a direct, first-name greeting. Save “Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],” for genuinely formal contexts like a board communication, a legal matter, or a very traditional industry.

Choosing the right salutation

Situation	How to address them
Cold outreach to a startup or SMB founder	Hi [First Name],
A warm introduction or referral	Hi [First Name],
Formal, large-enterprise or first legal/board contact	Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],
You are unsure of gender or preferred name	Dear [First Name] [Last Name],

A few rules that always apply:

• Spell the name correctly. Nothing kills credibility faster than a misspelled name. Double-check it against LinkedIn.
• Avoid “Dear Sir/Madam” and “To Whom It May Concern.” They signal a mass blast and that you did not do your homework.
• Do not use “Hey.” It reads as too casual for a first message to an executive.
• Use their real name, not their title. “Hi CEO” or “Dear CEO” feels robotic.

Address the whole email, not just the greeting

How you address a CEO is about more than the first line. The body has to earn the reply:

• Subject line: specific and low-hype. “Quick question about [Company]’s [specific thing]” beats “Amazing opportunity!”
• First sentence: make it about them. Reference a recent launch, hire, or milestone.
• One clear ask: a CEO scanning on their phone should know in five seconds what you want.
• Keep it short: 3–5 sentences. Respect their time and they are far more likely to respond.

Email templates

Cold outreach (SMB founder)

Subject: Question about [Company]’s expansion into [market]

Hi [First Name],
I saw [Company] just [specific milestone]. We help companies like yours [one-line value prop tied to that milestone]. Worth a 15-minute call next week to see if it is a fit?
Thanks,
[Your Name]

Warm introduction

Subject: [Referrer] suggested I reach out

Hi [First Name],
[Referrer] mentioned you are focused on [priority] this quarter. We recently helped [similar company] [specific result]. Happy to share how — are you open to a quick chat?
Best,
[Your Name]

Reaching the right inbox

Perfect etiquette does nothing if the email never reaches the CEO. Use the executive’s direct, verified email rather than a generic info@ address. MessageCEO provides verified direct email addresses for 200,000+ CEOs and executives — find a specific leader on the Find a CEO Email page or browse the CEO contact list.

The bottom line

Default to “Hi [First Name],” for modern executives, reserve formal salutations for formal contexts, spell the name right, and keep the whole message short and specific. Address the CEO like a busy human being who gets a hundred emails a day — because they do.