Abstract: Rural revitalization urgently requires versatile and proficient talents in both industrial management and organizational coordination, making innovation in the training model for rural CEOs a critical issue. The innovative outcomes and inherent tensions of the rural CEO training model driven by both policy guidance and market demand are examined systematically by taking the practices in Kunming, Qujing, and Zhaotong in Yunnan as research objects, and adopting a multi-case comparative research method based on the “five-element” analytical framework of talent training models. The findings reveal that policy guidance primarily establishes the foundational framework through the construction of professional legitimacy, institutional supply, and demonstration projects, while market demand, through the three dimensions of functional, technical, and quantitative needs, steers the precision of training concepts, the customization of curriculum systems, and the practice-oriented nature of teaching organization. The two forces complement each other in driving model innovation. However, the dual-driven approach also reveals issues such as a disconnect between strategy and demand, fragmented pathways, fragmented curriculum design, unclear allocation of rights and responsibilities, and difficulties in scaling up advanced models across the dimensions of training concepts, specialization settings, curriculum systems, teaching management, and teaching organization. In response, this paper proposes optimization pathways including precise alignment between strategy and demand, the establishment of a provincial-level qualification certification platform, project-based curriculum restructuring, contract-based performance collaborative governance, and the construction of complementary base and digital networks.

Key words: rural CEO, policy guidance, market demand, talent training model, dual-driven