How to Write a Eulogy for Your Executive - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Writing a eulogy for an executive can feel like walking two tightropes at once. You want to capture the professional achievements and the human side of the leader while respecting company protocol and the family s wishes. This guide gives a clear method, real examples you can adapt, and templates for different situations. We explain any acronyms or corporate terms you might see and offer delivery tips for speaking to employees, board members, clients, and family.

Who this guide is for

This article is for anyone asked to speak about an executive at a funeral memorial celebration of life or a company gathering. You might be a direct report an HR leader a board member a CEO peer or a family member who also represents the company. The examples include short corporate tributes longer memorial speeches and public statements like an internal email or LinkedIn post.

What is a eulogy in a corporate context

A eulogy is a speech that honors someone who has died. In a corporate context a eulogy often needs to balance several audiences. You are honoring the person as a human being and recognizing their professional contributions. You are also mindful of legal and public relations considerations and of the family s wishes. A corporate eulogy is not a press release. It is a personal tribute framed for a company audience and possibly for clients or the public.

Terms and acronyms you might see

• CEO Chief Executive Officer. The person who leads the company.
• CFO Chief Financial Officer. The person responsible for financial strategy and reporting.
• COO Chief Operating Officer. The person who oversees daily operations and execution.
• HR Human Resources. The department that handles personnel matters benefits and often coordinates communications about a death.
• PR Public Relations. Team that manages the company s messaging to the media and public.
• Order of service The sequence of events at a funeral or memorial. For corporate events this might be a short program or slide deck.
• Obituary A written notice that announces a death. Obituaries list basic facts and can be published in newspapers or online.

Before you start writing

Take these steps before you put pen to paper. They save time and avoid awkward mistakes.

• Talk to the family Confirm how much the family wants the company to say publicly. Some families want a strong corporate recognition. Others want a simple private line saying the person was loved and is missed.
• Coordinate with HR and PR HR can confirm who should announce the death internally and PR can advise on public wording if the story will be shared outside the company.
• Confirm the audience and format Is this a short companywide meeting a memorial service a board event or a public ceremony? The audience shapes tone and length.
• Decide the tone For a company meeting choose a tone that respects both grief and work culture. Options include solemn appreciative celebratory or a mix.
• Gather details Collect career milestones stories about leadership style a few personal details like hobbies or family rituals and one or two anecdotes that show character.

How long should a corporate eulogy be

Short and focused often works best in a work setting. Aim for two to five minutes for a company meeting and three to eight minutes for a memorial where family and colleagues will be present. If multiple leaders will speak coordinate times so the event stays within the planned schedule.

Structure that works for an executive tribute

Use a clear simple structure that balances the professional and personal.

• Opening Say who you are why you are speaking and a single sentence that sets the tone.
• Career snapshot Briefly outline the executive s role major contributions and impact. Keep this factual and concise.
• Anecdotes Share one or two short stories that reveal character or leadership style. Pick stories that show how they led people not just numbers.
• Values and legacy Summarize the ways the executive shaped company culture or mentored others.
• Closing Offer a farewell line and invite a moment of silence a memory share or practical next steps like a donation link or a memorial fund.

Writing the opening

Start simple. Name yourself your role and your connection to the executive. Then say one clear sentence about why the group is gathered. That gives you a breath and gives the audience context.

Opening examples

• Hello I am Maya and I led product at the company. We are here to remember and honor Raj as a leader and as a friend.
• Good afternoon I am Tom from the board. Today we are here to celebrate Claire s life and the many ways she changed this company for the better.
• Hi everyone I am Sarah from HR. On behalf of the company I want to say how grateful we are for the chance to honor Daniel and to support his family.

Career snapshot tips

This is not a detailed resume. Pick two or three high level achievements that mattered to people. Use plain language and avoid corporate jargon unless it helps the story.

• Give the role and tenure. For example John served as CFO for nine years.
• Mention one measurable impact such as led a major transformation launched a new product or built an inclusive culture.
• Connect achievements to people. For example instead of saying he doubled revenue say he built teams that believed in a long term vision and supported each other.

Anecdotes that land

Stories beat bullet points. Pick short moments that show how the executive made people feel. Keep anecdotes accessible to a mixed audience of employees and family.

Examples of short anecdotes

• Every Friday she walked the floor and asked three people how their week was going. It was a small habit but it showed she cared where people were in their work and in their lives.
• Once during a product launch our servers went down. He stayed on a conference call for twelve hours making coffee for the team and telling us not to panic. We fixed the issue and we never forgot his calm.
• He always returned every mentoring email within forty eight hours. That attention made junior staff feel seen and gave many people the confidence to take risks.

Balancing professional achievements and personal life

Executives are public figures at work and private people at home. Respect privacy. Ask family what personal details they are comfortable having shared. When in doubt keep it about character values and how the person showed up for others.

What to avoid

• Avoid airing internal disputes or mentioning ongoing legal or financial matters.
• Avoid treating the eulogy like a performance review. This is a tribute not a case study.
• Avoid overly technical jargon that will lose part of the audience. Use plain language to show impact.
• Avoid making the speech primarily about the company. It should be about the person first and their relationship to the company second.

Examples you can adapt

Below are full examples for different tones and settings. Replace bracketed text with details that fit your situation.

Example 1 Corporate town hall two to three minute tribute

Good morning I am Alex and I was privileged to work with Maria for the last six years. Maria was our chief operating officer and she helped shape our processes so teams could move faster and with more trust. She believed that the job of leadership was to remove obstacles not to be the obstacle herself.

One small example says everything about how she led. During our first big rollout a last minute bug threatened to delay our customers. Instead of pointing fingers she brought engineers product and support into a single room and said let us fix this together. She made sure everyone had what they needed to do their best work. That day we shipped and we did it without drama because of her example.

Maria s legacy is a culture where people look out for one another and where problems are met with teamwork. Today we are grieving and we are thankful for her leadership. For those who want to share a memory please join us after this meeting or email hr at company dot com. We will also provide details for supporting her family.

Example 2 Memorial service five to seven minute speech with family present

Hello I am Priya and I was lucky to call Robert my mentor and my friend. Robert wore many titles here but his favorite was coach. He had a way of asking questions that made you discover the answer inside yourself. Outside the office he loved sailing and Sunday breakfasts with his grandchildren.

One memory I will carry forever is the time he stayed late to help me prepare for a tough board presentation. He did not edit the notes so much as he asked me what I wanted the board to do. He cared more about preparing me than about doing the work for me. That lesson about ownership and clarity is something I pass on to others every day.

Robert taught us that business is about people and that the best leaders create more leaders. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the community scholarship fund he loved. We will miss his kindness and his steady curiosity. Thank you for being here to honor him.

Example 3 Short personable tribute for a virtual all hands

Hi everyone I am Jamal. I want to say a few words about Lena who led our design team. Lena coached designers and insisted we ship empathy not just features. She also loved terrible puns and was the only person who could make a gray Monday feel like an inside joke. If you have a short memory to share please drop it in the memorial channel. We will compile them for the family.

Example 4 For a complicated relationship that still honors the person

My name is Erin and I worked under Mark for eight years. Our relationship had tough moments. He could be blunt and hard to please. Even when it was difficult he pushed us to do better and he also knew how to say sorry when he was wrong. Over time that honesty built a kind of trust I did not expect. Today I remember both the challenges and the lessons. He made me a stronger leader and for that I am grateful.

Fill in the blank templates

Use these templates to get started. Edit them until they sound like you.

Template A Company meeting short

Hi I am [Your Name] and I worked with [Executive s Name] as [role]. [Executive s Name] joined the company in [year] and led [team or area]. One story that shows how [he she they] led is [brief story]. We will miss [what people will miss]. The family has asked for [details about flowers donations or privacy]. Thank you.

Template B Memorial service with family

Hello I am [Your Name]. I was [Executive s Name] s [relationship at work or friend]. [Name] was known for [one to two traits]. A memory that matters to me is [short anecdote]. [Name] taught me [value or lesson]. Please join me in supporting the family and in remembering the ways [Name] helped us be better at our work and at our lives.

Template C For a public statement or LinkedIn post

We are deeply saddened by the passing of [Name], our [Title]. [Name] was a leader who [one sentence about impact]. Our condolences go to [Name] s family. We will share details about services and ways to honor [Name] when available. To share a memory please use [email or memorial link].

Delivery tips for corporate events

• Practice out loud Saying the words once or twice helps you find the right pace when you are emotional. Time yourself so you stay within the agreed limit.
• Coordinate with family and leaders Make sure the family is comfortable with what you will say and that key executives are aligned on tone.
• Keep a printed copy Even if the event is virtual bring a printed version to read from. Emotions and screens can be unreliable.
• Plan a short Q and A or memory share If appropriate invite brief memories from the team. Set a time cap so things do not overrun.
• Mind the remote audience If some employees are remote use a good microphone and test video and audio beforehand. Have a moderator manage chat messages and a memorial channel.
• Coordinate visuals If you use slides keep them simple. A few photos and a brief timeline are enough. Avoid large blocks of text.

Logistics and approvals

• Get family sign off for any personal details you will share publicly.
• Check with PR before sending any public statements. PR can help with consistent messaging for clients and the media.
• Confirm who else will speak and the order of speakers to avoid surprises.
• Decide whether to record the event and how the recording will be shared.

When you want to include readings music or donations

Short meaningful readings work best. If the family prefers religious language use their wording. For music pick songs that were meaningful to the person or that match the tone of the gathering. For donations ask the family if they prefer gifts to a charity a scholarship or to the family directly and provide one clear link or instruction.

Glossary of useful corporate terms

• All hands A company meeting where everyone is invited. Often used to share important news.
• Internal memo A written message sent to employees. This can be an email announcement about the death and event details.
• Memorial fund A donation fund set up in memory of the person. This can be for charity scholarships or for family support.
• Obituary A public written notice about the death. If the company will post one check family approval first.
• PR Public Relations team. They manage external communications and media inquiries.

Frequently asked questions

How formal should a eulogy for an executive be

Match the formality to the event and the family s wishes. For an internal all hands a simple genuine tribute works well. For a public memorial you may choose a slightly more formal tone but keep the focus on the person not on corporate metrics.

Who should approve the eulogy

Start with the family. Then coordinate with HR and PR if the speech will be shared internally or publicly. If a board member or another executive has a close relationship ask them if they want to review or co deliver any part.

What if I cannot speak without crying

It is okay to cry. Pause take a breath and continue. If you think you will not be able to finish arrange for a colleague or family member to step in. Having a short prepared closing line that someone else can read is a helpful backup.

Can I mention tough decisions the executive made

Only if mentioning those decisions serves a larger purpose such as showing courage or learning. Avoid rehashing controversies. Focus on values lessons and the human side of leadership.

Should the company issue a public statement

Often yes but do it in coordination with the family and PR. A short respectful statement that acknowledges the loss expresses condolences and points people to where they can find further information is usually best.

What if multiple people want to speak

Coordinate times and pick a moderator to keep things moving. Short tributes from several people are often more meaningful than one long speech. Agree on an order and a time limit ahead of time.