A Virtual Assistant I know of recently blogged her recommendation that a business owner or GM should not publish their contact details to their website unless they get their mail re-directed automatically to a PA, assistant, junior manager.
The rationale was that from an administrative point of view the head of the business doesn't want to be too accessible because they will get swamped with communication.
And I get it from the point of view of time management.
But from a branding point of view having the head of the business hidden behind a gate-keeper may not be the message you want to send.
In particular in small business it is often seen as a big benefit to customers that in dealing with a small business they are dealing with the business owner direct.
And small business often wants to promote that accessibility - that the 'personality' of the business is not big, corporate, pompous, but flexible, friendly, down to earth.
I think a far better option is to set up Email Rules within your email host - publish the friendly, up front email address (such as Fred @ Domain) and have all emails to that address go immediately into a specific folder (with a copy to the assistant) so that the customer feels that they have direct communication to the head of the business - and the head of the business knows that the assistant will flag want needs to be actioned.
It may be that the way your Administration person wants things set up is what will work best for your business and for your brand.
Or not.
Beware the sweeping statements that claim one best way of doing things.
How do you handle how people can communication with you?